Our History

In 1951, the Ente Autonomo Fiera di Roma was incorporated, together with the Municipality, the Provincial Government, the Rome Chamber of Commerce and local entrepreneurial associations, to manage the “Fiera Campionaria di Roma” (“Rome Trade Fair”). In January 1955, a Decree of the President of the Republic granted the Trade Fair legal status as a “Non-profit Organisation”. 1959 saw the inauguration of the temporary headquarters in Via Cristoforo Colombo. After 35 years of business activities, Edoardo Squadrilli, founder and General Secretary, died and was succeeded by Enrico Cartoni in 1980.

The 23rd Rome Trade Fair became international and in 1986 the Halls were built in Piazza Rufini. In 1988, Ennio Lucarelli took over the running of the Ente Fiera. In 1989, the Lazio Regional Government provided LIT 14 billion (EUR 7M) for a radical renovation of the exhibition complex and in 1990, a covered area of 15,000 m2 was constructed in record time with two new halls and the largest conference centre in the capital, the Palafiera: Fiera di Roma hosted a major event funded by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Craft “The Seduction of Crafts”. Two new Vice-Chairmen, Carlo Scarchilli, Chairman of the Cooperativa Florovivaistica of Lazio and Emidio Tedesco, lawyer, director of the INAIL Legal Department, were appointed to work alongside the Chairman Lucarelli.

In 1992, Ente Fiera di Roma became the direct organiser of events other than trade fairs for the first time with Flòroma ’92, a new, major event-show for flowers, plants and the entire world of floral nurseries, which was a prelude to other professional editions (Flòroma Business), which began in 1993. In 1993, Roberto Bosi was appointed Chairman. The Regional Law No. 56 of 1 December 1995 suppressed the Ente Autonomo Fiera di Roma and transformed it into a Public Limited Company. Fiera di Roma was the first Italian trade fair organisation to become a PLC. Bosi, Scarchilli and Tedesco were appointed Ente Fiera Extraordinary Commissioner and Vice-Commissioners, respectively. On 24 April 1998 Fiera di Roma S.p.A. was created, with founder Members the Rome Chamber of Commerce, the Municipality of Rome and the Lazio Regional Government. In June of the same year, the Board of Directors was appointed and Roberto Bosi was then appointed as Chairman, Claudio Donati as Vice-Chairman and Luigi Cappugi as CEO.

In 2001, the Board of Directors was renewed with the appointment of representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the Municipality of Rome and the Lazio Regional Government. Roberto Bosi was confirmed as Chairman, whereas Maria Raffaella Alibrandi was appointed as CEO. The new directors had the task of managing the initial phase to create one of the most important projects for the economic development of the Capital: the new trade fair hub along the Rome-Fiumicino route. Vincenzo Alfonsi, formerly General Secretary for Confesercenti in Rome and member of the Council of the Rome Chamber of Commerce, was appointed as General Manager of Fiera di Roma S.p.A. In 2003, Fiera di Roma S.p.A. became Fiera Roma S.r.l., a company to manage the trade fair and conference activities in Rome. Roberto Bosi was appointed as Chairman. The mission of Fiera Roma was to manage the operations of the structures and develop the events in the exhibition complex in Via Cristoforo Colombo and in the future trade fair hub. The Board of Directors of Fiera di Roma S.p.A., a Group holding, elected Andrea Mondello, Chairman of the Rome Chamber of Commerce, as its Chairman.

In September 2005, Marco Sugaro, former Director General of Fiera di Milano, was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Fiera Roma S.r.l., the company managing the trade fair business. On 21 April 2006, the new headquarters of the Single-member company Fiera Roma S.r.l. were inaugurated with a 100% shareholding by INVESTIMENTI S.p.A., to become one of the major, most accredited Exhibition Hubs in Europe.