Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio has sent Delfin’s shareholders an offer to acquire their stakes, describing it as the most serious proposal he has made. The initiative was announced by Del Vecchio in a letter published by Qn, of which he is the publisher.
Del Vecchio said he had secured the willingness of a leading international credit institution to finance the transaction. His proposal includes both the immediate purchase of all the shares and alternative arrangements that would be completed over a longer period.
He has invited Delfin’s shareholders to meet, either collectively or individually, by 7 November to discuss the project in detail.
In the letter, Del Vecchio acknowledged that he had not always handled the family situation correctly since the death of his father. He said he had initially sought to preserve stability by becoming directly involved in EssilorLuxottica and defending the structure established after his father’s death. He later tried to reinforce that arrangement by purchasing the stakes held by shareholders less involved in management, but eventually stepped back after concluding that the approach was not producing results.
Del Vecchio said that in recent months he had chosen to reduce tensions and reopen dialogue. He stated that he had received private appeals, followed by public ones, urging him to make one final attempt to resolve the situation before it became too late. He said some appeals came from people who had worked with his father for many years, while others came from individuals concerned about what the founder had built.
The entrepreneur also referred to the interest shown in the family situation by external parties, including Czech financier Michal Strnad. Del Vecchio said that, while such interest was legitimate, he believed Delfin’s future should be decided by people familiar with its history and willing to share responsibility for it.
He concluded that his priority was not to prove himself right, but to help protect the legacy created by his father.
Sources: ANSA Economia.