Luigi Lazzareschi is the Chief Executive Officer and also member of the Board of Directors of all Italian and overseas companies in the Sofidel Group, one of the world leaders in the production of toilet and household paper.
With a Master’s degree in business management from USC (University of South Carolina), he joined the company as marketing Director for the Group in 1988. It was in this capacity that he laid the foundations for the growth of the Regina brand, enabling Sofidel to reach the top position among Italian exporters in the sector in just a few years.
In 1993, with the death of his father Giuseppe (co-founder of the Group with Emi Stefani), he took over the responsibilities. It is Luigi who guided the next stage of expansion and internationalisation in the company which, through significant investments, both in Italy and abroad, has allowed the company to better support the development of international large-scale distribution chains.
The early 2000s were marked by further acceleration and thanks to the acquisition of new production capabilities and established brands, in 2010 Sofidel became the second largest player in Europe.
In 2012, still with Luigi at the helm, the Group was able to take another historic step: expanding its production and commercial activities into the United States. In this same period, he made the strategic choice to make sustainability a fundamental lever for Sofidel’s development and innovation.
Luigi Lazzareschi sits on the Board of Directors of the Giuseppe Lazzareschi Foundation.
Some of the major awards received by Luigi Lazzareschi for his contribution to the paper industry:
In April 1999, Luigi Lazzareschi was made a Cavaliere Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana.
In May 2003, Luigi Lazzareschi was appointed Commendatore of the Italian Republic.
In 2009, Luigi Lazzareschi received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Communication Category).
In 2012, Luigi Lazzareschi received the Transatlantic Award from the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy for Sofidel’s significant investments in the United States.
In 2014, Luigi Lazzareschi was included in the RISI Top 50 Power List, the annual list of the world’s most influential people in the paper industry.
In 2015, Luigi Lazzareschi received his second Transatlantic Award from the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy for Sofidel’s significant investments in the United States.
In 2016, Luigi Lazzareschi was appointed WWF Italy’s 50th Anniversary Ambassador.
In 2017, Luigi Lazzareschi received the Tuscan-American Association Award ‘for his work as WWF Italy’s 50th Anniversary Ambassador and for his significant contribution to job creation in the United States through Sofidel America’.
In 2018, Luigi Lazzareschi became a member of the Paper International Hall of Fame (PIHF), the small number of big names in the global paper industry. An entry that rewards his commitment to the sustainable development and international growth of the Group.
In 2024, Luigi Lazzareschi received his third Transatlantic Award from the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy for Sofidel’s significant investments in the United States.