The Bertone family is increasing operational control over its struggling Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Bertone.
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According to trade magazine Automotive News Europe (ANE), CEO Ermelinda ‘Lilli’ Bertone (71) has appointed her youngest daughter Barbara as managing director.
The 38-year-old former finance director faces the challenge of finding new contracts for the firm. If she fails, Bertone employees could lose their jobs on 11 July when they will no longer receive payments from a public fund. The coachbuilder’s last contract was the final assembly of 2,000 Mini Coopers in summer 2006.
Barbara Bertone takes on the position only 14 months after abruptly resigning in a family dispute over future business development. At the time both she and her husband left the firm, but Bertone returned to her position as finance director in autumn 2006.
Carrozzeria Bertone employs 1,358 workers. The firm has told workers that it hopes to save more than 100 jobs via a contract with BMW. A BMW spokesman, however, told ANE it has no involvement in a Bertone sports car project.
