Maria Porro has been named as the new President of Salone del Mobile, the world's largest trade and design fair. 

Porro will take over the  speculative Salone del Mobile from the former President Claudio Luti who resigned from the event in April.

Porro, 38, has been serving as the President of Italian trade association Assarredo since September 2020 for Italy’s furniture manufacturers. Porro will now serve as the new President of the Italian furniture fair which was postponed from September 5th to 10th, 2021 in Milan due to the ongoing pandemic. 

In a statement Salone del Mobile explained that "the new President and Federlegno Arredo Eventi’s Board members will now turn to building on the event’s successful fifty-nine-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."

"I grew up with the Salone del Mobile. 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," said Maria Porro. 

"Today, I am honoured 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," she added.

Gianfranco Marinelli, President of Federlegno Arredo Eventi - a trade body who owns the Salone del Mobile brand, said: "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."

"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," Marinelli added.

As the event dates are approaching, Italian architect and urban planner Stefano Boeri is curating this year's event with its new name “Supersalone". In May, Boeri announced his plans for this year's new Supersalone on how the event "intends to serve as a promoter of and catalyst for activities". 

In 2015 Maria Porro became marketing and communications director at historic Italian design brand Porro S.p.A. In 2019, she became a Board member of the Altagamma Foundation. She previously served on the Executive Board at Assarredo.

Top image courtesy of Salone del Mobile.

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