Mario Moretti Polegato – Keynote Speaker

Mario Moretti Polegato comes from one of the best known wine-growing families in Italy. He studied law and oenology before taking over his parents’ vineyard. Under his leadership the business became the largest exporter of Prosecco in Italy.

In the early 90’s he decided to design a “breathing“ shoe. He bought the patent from NASA for a suitable material, which he developed to achieve a higher level of durability. The basic idea was to allow warm air to leave the shoe, while at the same time, not letting water in. He attempted to sell the idea and the patent to established shoe manufacturers. When this failed, he started his own firm with five employees and began production.

Four years later, the company expanded its product range and began to manufacture clothing. In 2000 it began international operations and the first shops outside Italy were opened.

The expansion of the company was rapid, and there are now more than 700 outlets worldwide, and the company exports to about 70 countries. In autumn 2008 Mario Moretti Polegato floated GEOX on the Milan Stock Exchange.

Today the GEOX factories employ about 5000 people in a number of locations around Europe.

Mario Moretti Polegato has received numerous awards and is on the advisory board of the Italian Industry Association.

Mario Moretti Polegato personally dedicates much time to teaching the Intellectual Property in schools and universities, both in Italy and abroad. This commitment has earned him the title of Affiliate Professor of Entrepreneurship from ESCP-EAP in Paris, one of the leading international business schools.