Cristian Giacomini is the Chairman and CEO of A for Value Holding LTD, a conglomerate that spans financial, industrial and trading companies growing especially rapidly across EMEAA.
Cristian is a well-experienced entrepreneur focused on driving growth to emerge markets with his company. As a leader of multiple businesses, Cristian is an exceptional expert in his field. Learn more about Cristian Giacomini and his company through our interview below.
The Beginning Of The Journey
We asked, “Which personal and career path led you to where you are today?”
Cristian said, “My main inspiration has always been the principles and virtues instilled in me by my family from a young age: passion, dedication, consistency, and perseverance. These words resonate with me daily.”
We were also curious about understanding the idea behind A for Value. So, we further asked, “What inspired you to develop the idea of your company and multiple businesses, and which is the common factor in the multiple business activities.”
He further states, “The idea behind A for Value was inspired by a desire to bring together multiple stakeholders with cross-sector expertise and by the recognition that diversity and multi-sector engagement is key to creating value today, from finance to industry, trade, and project structuring. We saw a significant opportunity to consolidate mature European businesses that were already successful and to drive growth in emerging markets.”
Setting Priorities
Different businesses have different priorities that may change over time. To understand the priorities A For Value Holding LTD set, we further asked, “How have your priorities in terms of business evolved since you first started?”
Cristian Giacomini says, “We have adapted our priorities in response to market dynamics and developments, but one priority that has remained our constant focus is building and maintaining trusted relationships. I value this in both my business practices and personal life. With the right relationships founded on trust and transparency, problems can be solved, and all parties can evolve together with the right ingredients.”
Challenges & Major KPIs
“What are the most challenging situations that your company overcomes?” We asked.
Cristian further continues, “A for Value and its partner companies are experiencing rapid growth, making us one of the fastest growing groups in the sectors we operate within the region. As with any growth, there are inevitable challenges, and we need to be agile enough to respond to both our own company growth and any regulatory changes that may impact us.”
We further asked, “What KPIs do you use to measure your business success?”
“The specific KPIs depend on the business line, but some common ones include turnover targets, global expansion with country growth, new customer acquisition, resilience and retention of existing customers, and EBITDA. However, the most important aspect for me is to ensure that I am the type of leader who inspires my teams and that we are achieving our overall goals,” he said.
Major Activity
Our next question was, “Tell us something about your services. What are you working on now?”
“Our current main activity is to grow Modefinance International, which is the leading company in machine learning and artificial intelligence applied to corporate risk management and ESG. We are experiencing rapid growth in the Middle East region and have excellent forecasts for expansion into Africa and Southeast Asia. These regions share a common thread – the corporate sector remains a key driver of GDP. Additionally, we are pursuing our environmental mission through our industrial business, which involves fully electric injection molding machines, TOYO’s distribution, and the structuring of green projects.” he replied.
Business activities, goals, and adaptability to emerging markets are crucial for a business. However, teamwork also plays a major role in business success. To understand the teamwork environment in Cristian’s company, we asked him, “How do you build trust with your employees and boost productivity without causing burnout? And how do you build trust with your clients and partners?”
“For me, trust is a fundamental pillar in business. It’s crucial to involve the team in the company’s vision and to promote responsibility, accountability, and motivation among team members. Proper planning is critical, as is the ability to anticipate market dynamics and adapt accordingly. When it comes to customers, approaches vary by region, but a common factor is the importance of having a physical presence. This remains essential for global customer satisfaction, as being present in person signifies commitment and dedication to me.” he shared.
Understanding Technological Growth
“How do you stay on top of new technologies and trends in your industry?”
Cristian Giacomini shares, “Academia and research have always been part of my life. After my Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, I joined different research projects across Europe and served as Professor at Trieste University in Italy for 8 years. The possibility of being involved in research projects, supporting new talents in developing ideas during their educational process, traveling, visiting incubators across the world, and having the chance to speak with lawmakers in different fields in different countries gives me incredible insight to anticipate trends.”
Lastly, we asked, “What advice would you give to starting entrepreneurs?”
He replies, “Experience and Travelling, perhaps with these two words I can summarise the essence of my advice. To the younger generation, I suggest not focusing on salary and holidays but investing in themselves to accumulate cross-sector experiences and travel the world to meet different cultures. It’s important to understand the nuances of different economics and business approaches. And to anyone in the business and entrepreneurial world, my advice would be to always push yourself out of your comfort zone – that’s where you make things happen!”
Connect Cristian Giacomini on LinkedIn.
Find A for Value Holding LTD on LinkedIn.
Check out Modefinance International on LinkedIn.
