Marisa Bellisario among 150 figures who shaped Italy

Marisa Bellisario, Italtel’s CEO in the 1980s, has been included among the 150 Italian personalities selected by Sette magazine for a special edition marking the 150th anniversary of Corriere della Sera, one of Italy’s major national newspapers. The recognition brings renewed attention to her contribution to Italtel’s transformation and to the history of Italy’s technology and telecommunications industry.

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Corriere della Sera, its weekly magazine Sette has dedicated a special issue to 150 personalities who have played a part in shaping Italy’s history.

Among them is Marisa Bellisario, one of the most significant figures in Italtel’s history, who became the company’s CEO in 1981 until her sudden departure.

Who was Marisa Bellisario?

Born in Ceva, Piedmont, in 1935, Bellisario graduated in Economics from the University of Turin and began her career at Olivetti in 1959, during the pioneering years of the computer industry.

She worked on the commercialisation of the first electronic computer designed and manufactured in Italy and later continued her career at General Electric and Olivetti, also gaining significant management experience in the United States.

In 1981, she took on the challenge that would closely link her name to Italtel’s history.

Marisa Bellisario and the transformation of Italtel

When Bellisario became CEO, Italtel had around 29,000 employees and was facing major challenges, including substantial financial losses, a technological gap and difficult industrial relations.

She launched a far-reaching restructuring and turnaround programme. Bellisario reshaped the management and organisation of the company, invested in research, signed international collaboration agreement and addressed workforce reduction through measures including early retirement and solidarity contracts, an Italian employment mechanism designed to reduce working hours and help preserve jobs.

Within a few years, she contributed to restoring the company’s financial health and strengthening its industrial prospects, with the development and launch of innovative products for the telecommunication sector.

Her leadership also placed particular emphasis on opportunities for women in the workplace, launching specific projects for education, personal development and gender equality. During her time at Italtel, the proportion of women among newly hired graduates increased from 8% to 28%.

Bellisario died in 1988 at the age of 53. Her professional legacy remains closely connected with a pivotal period in the history of Italtel and the development of Italy’s telecommunications industry.

A recognition that is also part of Italtel’s history

By including Marisa Bellisario among the 150 personalities featured in its anniversary issue, Sette brings renewed attention to a manager who played an important role in Italian industry.

For Italtel, the recognition is also an opportunity to revisit and share an important chapter in its own history. At a time when women were still rarely represented at the highest levels of major Italian companies, Bellisario took responsibility for a complex industrial transformation, combining technological innovation and organisational change with a strong focus on people.

Almost four decades after her death, her inclusion in Sette’s selection highlights the enduring relevance of a figure whose career is closely intertwined with Italtel and with the transformation of Italy’s telecommunications industry.