Franco Debenedetti was born in Turin in 1933 and still lives there today. In 1956, he graduated
from Turin Polytechnic as an electrical engineer with a speciality in nuclear engineering.
His long career as a manager began at his father's company, Compagnia Italiana Tubi Metallici Flessibili,
where he was responsible for production and development. He later became Director of the Components
Division of the Fiat Group, and Managing Director and Vice President of the Olivetti Group, where he
founded Olivetti Information Services.
He was elected Senator of the Italian Republic in 1994, 1996 and 2001, representing the region of Piedmont.
He proposed many pieces of legislation and wrote numerous articles for the main Italian newspapers.
In February 1996 he published the book Ritagli. In June of that year, the Italian Club dell'Economia
presented him with the 'Ezio Tarantelli' award for the best economical and financial idea of 1995: his
proposed legislation to privatise banks that are owned by foundations. He received the 1999 'Capalbio'
award for economics and was also proclaimed honorary citizen of the town of Capalbio. In 2001 he
published the book Sappia la Destra with Baldini & Castoldi publishers.
He is board member of CIR,
Cofide and the Rodolfo Debenedetti Foundation.
