Giovanni Calabrò

President of the Calfin Group

Founder & CEO

Giovanni Calabrò

Giovanni Calabrò is the President of Calfin International S.A., a holding company founded in the early 2000s that represents the strategic financial and industrial heart of the entire Calfin Group.

The Calfin International S.A. coordinates and directs the activities of its subsidiaries and investee companies.

Investments in Various Sectors

Giovanni Calabrò

The Calfin Group boasts a number of investments and transactions in various sectors such as:

»  Real estate development activities;

»  Financial assets (Distressed assets purchase, Equity investments);

»  R&D in the field of experimental metallurgy and new alloys used in industry with high technological added value;

»  R&D in the field of renewable energy technologies;

Calfin International Logo Giuovanni Calabrò

Giovanni Calabrò, involved in the creative mind of the investment strategy pursued by the Calfin Group.

Over the years the work of management, under the absolute direction of Giovanni Calabrò, has favored the consolidation of the Group in important positions, as well as in international level operations that are allowed to reach an increase in investments in the absence of financial leverage.

The Group’s operations and activities are characterized and coordinated by:

  • high level of flexibility
  • positive and professional attitude towards investments
  • an agile and dynamic company structure
  • professionalism and knowledge in the fields of intervention
  • partnerships with leading national and international research institutions
  • structured relationships with the top international management

Think Global, Act Local

Giovanni Calabrò

All the industrial and financial activities of the Calfin Group revolve around a key principle, which has accompanied all the business activities of Giovanni Calabrò, namely “Think Global, Act Local” which also embodies the spirit of all management and related initiatives to the various company missions.

The diversity and flexibility of investments have made Calfin Group internationally competitive in various sector markets, from the financial, real estate, to the commodity market and in particular the rare earths.

Calfin International SA, has operational offices in Luxembourg and representation in Rome (Italy), Moscow (Russia), Monaco – Beausoleil (France) and Lugano, (Switzerland).

Giovanni Calabrò: Think Global, Act Local

High Performance Goals & Targets

Giovanni Calabrò

Over the years the Calfin Group has achieved high performance goals and targets. In the period 2004-2009, Giovanni Calabrò completely acquired Executive Solutions Inc. (ESI), a US company active in the trade of raw materials and investments in raw materials and energy, through which the Group operates outside Europe.

Over the years, the group has carried out important operations.

Among the best known:

Purchase of Assets in Difficulty

Calfin Partecipazioni and Gestioni Srl, acquired in 2000 and active in the real estate market with particular regard to the tourist hotel sector.

Sairam Ltd. established in April 2004 for the purpose of acting in the non-performing asset market, mainly for non-performing loans and asset-backed loans.

Cement Trade

SAMA Sal company established in Lebanon, active in the cement trade. In 2007 Giovanni Calabrò acquired 40% of the company.

SAMA has performed three important supply contracts:

1. Qatar National Cement Company;
2. The Doors of Tajura;
3. Al Watanya concrete;

Giovanni Calabrò sold his stake in 2008.

Seastar Investments Inc. concentrated on international commercial activities of cement and related products on a worldwide basis.

The company was sold in 2010.

Engineering Services

R.A.M.S. founded in Egypt to provide consulting services.

The company holds 63% in “Egyptian for Urban Development and Cement Manufacturing”, a company fully authorized to build a cement factory from building land.

In 2007, Giovanni Calabrò purchased 51% of shares in R.A.M.S.

With the resources provided by Giovanni Calabrò, the company created the required water and energy infrastructure.

Giovanni Calabrò sold his shares to a Saudi-Canadian entrepreneur.

Property & Real Estate Development

Inimarche S.p.a. founded in 2002 as a real estate development company.

The cd project. “I Giardini di Pollenza”, located in Macerata, in the Casette Verdini district, included the construction of housing units, large green areas, shopping center, offices and sports facilities.

The sale of the Inimarche stake in 2004 generated a net income of millions of euros.

GECOM S.p.a. engineering and consulting company.

The company was acquired in 1998 and was sold in 2003.

Gecom operated on the enhancement and maintenance of the property for the main public and private groups, providing services such as asset management, property management, occupant services and facility management.

Gecom also managed the development and construction of the Saint Gréé resort in Viola, participating in the competition for the development of the technical and management plan necessary for the development of the Società Acqua and Terme di Fiuggi.

TARANTO TOURIST HARBOR. Calfin was a consultant for the design of the Taranto marina, which began as a greenfield in 2004.

The project involved the construction of pedestrian paths at about 1.1 m above sea level, commercial shops, storage facilities, port management offices, meeting areas, activities organized at sea (sailing, diving, etc.).

INIMONT VIOLA SAINT GRÉÉ – Inimont was the company that owned structures for the sky in St. Gréé, Viola, in the upper Mangia valley, a ski area in the Western Alps (CU).

The project involved the construction of a shopping center, hotels and residences, apartments, parking lots.

Inimont was acquired in 1999 and sold in 2005.

Renewable Energy

Calfin Group has invested in various developments of FER power plants, such as:

– CURRENT OF SUN in November 2007 – Taranto;
– FRANCAIDDA’S SUN in May 2009 – Brindisi;
– CAROSOLE in June 2009 – Carosino.

Calfin has negotiated several partnerships to make the investment and has sold the projects with large margins.

A feasibility study for a 50 MWp photovoltaic plant and a wind farm in Egypt were sold in 2008.

Investments / Financial Services

AVIVA ITALIA HOLDING S.p.A.  was a holding company with head quarters in Milan and quoted in the London stock market, active in the insurance sector.

ARFIN S.p.A.   was an insurance company with headquarters in Milan.

R&C & PARTNERS S.A., a group society, purchased an important minor participation in IT Holding with which they underwrote an equity agreement.

IT Holding S.p.A quoted in the 1997 stock market and one of the principle actors in the luxury sector.

IT Holding controlled a society group that projected, produced and distributed high quality products (prêt-à-porter e accessories, glasses and perfumes) with its own brand name – Ferré, Malo, Extè – and in accordance with licensing permission – Versace Jeans Couture, Versace Sport, Just Cavalli, C’N’C Costume National e Galliano.

In 2005, IT Holding employed more than 1.700 persons.

Nickel

Giovanni Calabrò’s enlightened intuition turned to the high tech metal area which consists of trading in nickel wire and rare earth elements.

The Group decided to enter and operate in this market given the high intrinsic value of the nickel wire.

Among the most significant operations:

_In 2009 ESI signs a contract with the National Agency for Mineral Resources (Bucharest) which involved about 2,790,000 meters of nickel wire, for a contribution of millions of euros to Calfin International SA.

_In 2012/2013 ESI carries out an important contract with the CSPU Special Center (Government of the Republic of Armenia).

The transaction for the sale will be conspicuous, for about 3,680,000.00 meters of nickel wires.

_In 2015 Calfin signs a contract with Fortress Bank (Cyprus), a significant transaction for the sale and purchase of 51,818.00 meters of nickel wire.

Other Sectors

FINAQUE Spa. Company based in Careggine, a municipality in the province of Lucca, was active in the production, bottling and marketing of mineral water on national and international markets.
After a corporate restructuring, Giovanni Calabrò sold his stake.

GIOLITTI GESTIONI Srl, historic brand in Rome in the ice cream sector e confectionery, mentioned in international guides such as the Gambero Rosso in 2004.

The company was sold in 2006 with a large yield.