She was a major shareholder in the Agnelli family holding company, which controls Exor and has long owned Fiat, and was the aunt of Stellantis president John Elkann.
Maria Sole Agnelli, a member of the Agnelli family that founded and controlled the Italian carmaking giant, passed away in her hometown in Torre in Pietra, near Rome. She was a significant shareholder in the family’s business interests.
Agnelli served as mayor of the Umbrian town of Campello sul Clitunno from 1960 to 1970, at a time when few women held elected office in Italy. She was elected without a formal campaign and remained active in public and civic life for much of her career.
Influence in the Agnelli family
Maria Sole Agnelli was a significant powerbroker within Giovanni Agnelli B.V., the Dutch-registered vehicle that anchors the family’s control of Exor. With an estimated stake of between 11.2% and 12.3%, her branch of the family ranked second in influence after that of John Elkann — chairman of Stellantis, CEO of Exor and chairman of Ferrari — and outweighed the interests of other Agnelli branches.
That shareholding gave her substantial influence over the group’s strategic direction, including assets such as Ferrari, Stellantis and Juventus.
The stake also delivered sizeable income. In 2025 alone, dividends generated more than €6 million in direct payouts to the family holding company. Responsibility for managing those interests and representing the family in corporate bodies now passes to her son, Edoardo Teodorani Fabbri, ensuring continuity in one of Europe’s most enduring industrial dynasties.
Commitment to the landscape heritage
At the end of her decade in office, she chose not to seek re-election, returning to private life while maintaining close ties with the local community and Umbrian institutions.
During her tenure, the administration focused on modernising the area with a strong agricultural base, upgrading roads and improving essential public services, including the construction of schools. Particular emphasis was placed on protecting the local landscape, notably the preservation of the Fonti del Clitunno.
That approach helped lay the groundwork for a form of tourism centred on the Umbrian Valley’s historical, cultural and culinary heritage, combining conservation with long-term economic development.
A passion for horse riding
Alongside her public life, Maria Sole Agnelli was closely involved in Italian equestrian sport, where she was active as a breeder and stable manager in the post-war period. Her work placed her among the leading figures in the sector at a time when Italy was highly competitive on the international stage.
That period included the Italian team’s success at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, where the horse Woodland won a silver medal, an achievement often cited as emblematic of the strength of Italian breeding and training at the time.
