The order was presented to de Meo yesterday by Pietro Benassi, Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the Federal Republic of Germany. “It is my great pleasure to honor Luca de Meo with the designation of Commendatore al Merito della Repubblica Italiana,” Ambassador Benassi said during the award ceremony in Munich. “He has rendered outstanding service in strengthening the German‑Italian partnership in a fundamental area of the bilateral relationships of the two countries. At the same time, he has promoted initiatives of high socio‑cultural importance for the benefit of the Italian community in Germany.”
“This honorary title is enormously important to me,” Luca de Meo said. “Going abroad and approaching the world with curiosity means to me knowing exactly where you have come from and what you would like to give back to your home country. In our view, Italy is and will remain a highly attractive location for the automotive and motorcycle industry.” As Board Member for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG, de Meo is also member of the Board of Directors of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. and Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. as well as President of the Board of Directors of the Volkswagen Group Italia S.p.A., the Italian subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group.
Most recently, de Meo contributed significantly within the Volkswagen Group to bringing the successful principles of dual vocational education to Italy for the first time. When it came to selection of the production site of the new Lamborghini SUV, de Meo personally advocated for the brand’s company headquarters in talks with the Italian government. Opting for Sant’Agata Bolognese as production factory will create 500 new jobs on site. Today, Audi Group subsidiaries and dealerships in Italy employ more than 14,000 people. The Audi Group ranks among the 25 largest companies and employers in the country.
Luca de Meo was born in Milan on June 13, 1967. After studying business administration, he began his career in the automotive industry and subsequently held management positions in sales and marketing at Renault, Toyota and in the Fiat Group. In 2009, de Meo joined the Volkswagen Group as Marketing Director for the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand and since 2010 he was also responsible for marketing throughout the Group. Since September 1, 2012 Luca de Meo is the Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG responsible for Sales and Marketing.