Franco Tatò died of a stroke tonight at the age of 90.
The former manager, born in 1932, died on the eve of an endocardiac surgery for which he was hospitalized at the Casa Sollievo della Soflievo hospital.
Beside him his wife Sonia and daughter Carolina.
He had philosophical studies behind him, but his working life began in Olivetti, where he climbed all positions.
He was nicknamed 'Kaiser Franz' for the toughness employed in the economic recovery of the groups he has led during his career: in addition to Olivetti, Mondadori, Fininvest, Enel.
Berlusconi himself once said: "When I meet him in the corridor I am afraid that he will look at me as a cost to be reduced".
After his long career in Olivetti, Tatò in fact rose to the top of publishing companies such as Mondadori and Fininvest, a group in which he held the position of CEO from 1993 to 1995. Then his arrival at Enel in 1996: in the public group Tatò remained until 2002. From 2003 to 2014 he was CEO of the Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana Treccani.