Gabriello Cecchi

Sir Gabriello Cecchi (Ponte Buggianese, 1914 - Torino, 2000). A Partisan Commander, a Commander Emeritus and knight of the Order of Merit for Labour of the Italian Republic, he was one of the most important Italian entrepreneurs in the gelato industry. He learned the pioneering trade of gelato making from his father and perfected it in France. He created the Gelati Cecchi brand in 1936 and founded Cecchi Industries after the war, of which he is still considered the great patriarch, successfully managing them up until 1973 when he sold the company to the Italgel Group-Barilla. After its sale, he remained Honorary Chairman and Director of the Italgel Group and Motta-Nestlé up until the 1990s. Today, the brand has once again become property of the family and has been relaunched by his grandson, Stefano Cecchi. An idealist and philanthropist, Gabriello Cecchi was also the patron of the A-series Pallacanestro Biella team and a co-founder of a Turin Bank. He was a member of the International Brigades that fought Francisco Franco’s Fascist army in Spain and later, having returned to Italy, became a member of the Garibaldi 77th assault brigade fighting in the Italian Resistance.

During his life, he was awarded the following titles:

• Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

• Knight of the Order of Merit for Labour

• Commander of Merit of the Military Order of St. Bridget of Sweden

He was also bestowed:

• The Cross of Commander de Premiere Classe du Merite of the Belgian Order of the Crown for philanthropy and meritorious acts

• The Italian War Merit Cross following his role as a partisan in the liberation of the city of Turin.

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