Manager / Marina Caprotti, who is the custodian of Esselunga and the discreet heir to a billion-euro empire?

"No one, God willing, will be able to get their hands on Esselunga." That phrase, uttered by Marina Sylvia Caprotti a few years ago in an interview with Corriere della Sera, has become the manifesto of her approach to leading the large-scale retail empire founded by her father Bernardo. Few words, but clear: Esselunga is untouchable.

Today, Forbes consistently ranks her among the richest women in Italy, alongside Miuccia Prada, Giuliana Benetton, and Massimiliana Landini Aleotti. But who really is Marina Caprotti, the woman who controls the fate of a billion-euro giant?

The legacy and the climb

2016 was a watershed year: Bernardo Caprotti died, and with him the inheritance issue began. Marina and her mother Giuliana Albera received 70% of the holding company Supermarkets Italiani , which controlled Esselunga. Her half-siblings Giuseppe and Violetta held only 30%. This division promised a difficult coexistence. The turning point came in 2020: Marina bought her half-siblings' shares for €1.83 billion and became 100% owner. From that moment on, Esselunga had a single owner, with no more room for family disputes.

The group leader

Marina chooses to continue her father's business with pragmatism. In 2017, she took on the role of vice president, entrusting operational management to CEO Sami Kahale , whom she will lead until 2021. Then, in 2021, she took over the helm directly, becoming CEO . Under her leadership, the group continued to grow despite the difficulties of an industry plagued by inflation and energy prices. In 2021 alone, Esselunga recorded consolidated sales of €8.56 billion. Forbes now estimates her net worth at approximately €1.5 billion, a sign that her wealth is not just her legacy, but also the result of management capable of maintaining solid margins in challenging years.

Style and image

Reserved and out of the spotlight, Marina builds her public profile through her image: monochrome suits, classic shirts, a neutral palette—black, blue, white, cream—and an always impeccable look. It's power dressing at its most rigorous: no frills. The only exception was November 25, 2019: for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, she wore a red jacket to the inauguration of a symbolic bench at the Limito di Pioltello headquarters . A simple yet powerful gesture, confirming her ability to use her image even in the smallest details.

Privacy

Married to lawyer Francesco Moncada di Paternò and mother of two, she lived in London for years before returning to Milan. Very little is known about her private life. Marina protects her personal life just as she protects Esselunga from the lust for investors and consortiums interested in acquiring it. Marina Caprotti thus remains the discreet yet determined face of a billion-dollar empire, faithful to one principle: Esselunga is not for sale.