Luca Virginio | Influence 100
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Luca Virginio

Chief Communication & External Relations Officer
Barilla
Italy

@luca_virginio

 

Luca Virginio has been chief communication and external relations officer at family-owned Italian pasta and sauce company Barilla since 2008, after an even longer 18-year stint as corporate communication and reputation director at Proctor & Gamble.

In his wide-ranging role, he is responsible for media relations, scientific relations, government relations, corporate identity and communications, sustainability strategy and policy, crisis management, social media, and sponsorships. Virginio reports to the CEO, is a member of the leadership team, and supports the Barilla Family directly with their communications and public activities. 
At P&G, Virginio reported to the global external relations officer and managed a team of senior corporate managers in the US and a network of communication experts in 17 countries across Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America, North East Asia, Greater China, Asia, India and North America. His responsibilities ranged from developing corporate reputation strategies and plans, to global messaging, to supporting C-suite meetings with stakeholders.

Can you share a moment in your career when you saw PR's direct impact on business performance?
I have changed the reputation of the companies I have worked for, for the better.

What do you love about this industry?
That every day is a new day.

What most frustrates you about this industry?
The lack of professionalism.

What are the communications industry's biggest challenges and opportunities?
To stay relevant.

How do you relax or change pace when you're not at work?
Spending time with my dogs in the countryside.

If I wasn't working in marketing/communications, I would be...
Living in the mountains.