Mr Colaninno’s initial experience was in Italian auto components maker Fiaam S.p.A. of which he became Chief Executive Officer. In 1981 he founded Sogefi S.p.A. operating in the same sector and based in Mantova. Under his leadership and through international expansion and, finally, quotation on the Italian stock exchange, the company became one of the most important national players in its industry. In September 1996 he was invited to assume the Chief Executorship of Olivetti S.p.A. in the midst of a very serious financial and operational crisis. Within a very brief period, partly as a result of an international business strategy, he was able to transform the Group from Ivrea into a telecommunications holding with controlling interests in Omnitel S.p.A. and Infostrada S.p.A. and minority shares in Information Technology. In February 1999, at the helm of an entirely restructured Olivetti, he launched a public offering for Telecom Italia S.p.A. for a total value of more than 60 billion Euro. Following on from the success of the bid which saw Olivetti acquiring around 51% of Telecom Italia, Mr Colaninno became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Telecom Italia S.p.A. as well as Chairman of Telecom Italia Mobile S.p.A., positions which he maintained until 31 July 2001.
In September 1998, Mr Colaninno founded Omniaholding S.p.A., a family-owned financial company of which he is the CEO. In September 2002, along with other associates, he formed Omniainvest S.p.A., a joint company which is now 75% controlled by Omniaholding S.p.A. In November 2002, through subsidiaries Omniainvest S.p.A. and Omniapartecipazioni S.p.A., he acquired control of stock exchange listed IMMSI, a property holding company of which he became Chairman. (ref Section I, Chapter 18, paragraph 18.3). After February 2003, the activities of IMMSI were expanded to include acquisition of and participation in industrial and service companies, amongst which, the Piaggio Group (October 2003), the Rodriquez Cantieri Navali Group (May 2004) and the Aprilia Group (December 2004). In each of these companies IMMSI has the controlling interest.
From 1997 to 2002 Mr Colaninno was a member of the Management Committee and of the National Advisory Committee of Confindustria, as well as “Cavaliere del lavoro.” In 2001 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate degree in Economy and Commerce by the University of Lecce. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Mediobanca and of Efibanca S.p.A., and of the controlling syndicate of the Gruppo Bancario Capitalia, in which Omniaholding S.p.A. and IMMSI each have a 0,45% holding.