July 27, 2021

Salone del Mobile.Milano has elected a new president, Maria Porro. The Federlegno Arredo Eventi Board of Directors has elected this former president of Assarredo to helm the world’s pre-eminent international design event. The new president and Federlegno Arredo Eventi’s Board members will now turn to building on the event’s successful 59-year heritage, outlining new strategies to respond to the upheavals of the present day and to reconcile exhibitors’, the general public’s and international stakeholders’ needs.

“The decision to invest in a young, driven president is part of a strategy to consolidate the event’s leading international role during a period of profound change,” said Gianfranco Marinelli, president of Federlegno Arredo Eventi. “Maria Porro may count on the support of the entire Federlegno Arredo Eventi Board as, with determination, she continues Salone del Mobile.Milano’s journey along a pathway of growth and renewal.”

Born in 1983, Porro became marketing and communications director at historic Italian design brand Porro S.p.A. in 2015. After serving on the Executive Board at Assarredo, in September 2020, she was unanimously elected president of the trade association for Italy’s furniture manufacturers. In 2019, she became a Board member of the Altagamma Foundation.

With a degree in Set Design from the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, before devoting herself wholly to design, she spent a decade working in the theatre, arts and major events as a designer, organizer and curator, working on events around the world. All the while, she maintained her ties with the family business, working with her father Lorenzo Porro and architect Piero Lissoni on style-led research, developing new products and being part of the firm’s Salone del Mobile presence.

“I grew up with the Salone del Mobile,” said Porro. “When I was a kid, my grandfather Carlo used to take me along to the pavilions at the old venue. I followed when the Fair moved to its new site in Rho, and I was thrilled to be able to attend the Shanghai Furniture Fair.

“Today, I am honored to take on this role at such a vital and transformative time. I’d like to thank everyone who supported me. I hope to prove myself worthy of this event and its fabulous, successful heritage. I and the entire Board of Directors will be working to ensure that, as a unique and indispensable design showcase, the Salone rises to meet future challenges regarding sustainability, digitalization, research, innovation, creativity and inclusiveness, as ever maintaining the highest quality.”