Exa Group's 'direction' on high-end hotels, retail and offices from Milan to Dubai

Going beyond the traditional definition of a general contractor, to position itself as a signature contractor, i.e. a single point of contact that interprets the project and governs its execution through to the final result. The convergence of these competences - construction design, civil works, installations, interior fit-out, customised supplies and detailed craftsmanship - which have given rise to an integrated operating model for complex projects in the high-end segment, has been interpreted by Exa Group. It is the result of the encounter between two major, complementary companies, such as Exa (founded in 2005), with a long experience in international luxury retail, and Mobil Project, founded in 1987, which specialises in the design and realisation of turnkey furnishings for hotels and high-end residential complexes.

"Over time," explained Giuseppe Polvani, CEO of Exa Group, "this operational approach has been structured through collaborations with designers, brands and international operators in the hospitality, retail, catering and corporate office sectors, building a constant dialogue between construction, interiors and project culture. It is on this terrain that Exa Group is established, which was created to respond to a growing market demand: to manage multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder projects in which interior design, procurement, and craftsmanship must operate in continuity. The ability to co-ordinate international supply chains, craftsmen and production partners is now a strategic factor in guaranteeing performance, quality and consistency".

Exa Group - whose majority stake in 2023 passed to Montefiore Investment, a French-based private equity fund, sold by Alcedo sgr (55%) and the four founding partners (45%) - closed 2025 with a turnover of 185 million, down from 204 million the previous year ("due to some projects awaiting construction permits and, therefore, slowed down," explains Polvani). This is why 2026 is expected to see a decisive comeback: 'we estimate 230 million in turnover'. Turnover that 60% is produced in Italia (in 2018-2019 it was 30%, while 70% was abroad). With offices in Italia - Milan, Arezzo, San Vendemiano (Treviso) - and abroad - London, Paris, New York, Dubai, Doha and Saudi Arabia - Exa Group has around 50 active construction sites around the world each year and 260 employees.

Among the realisations, there are prestigious hotels such as the Collegio Alla Querce in Florence, the Four Seasons in Florence, the Belmond Hotel Cipriani in Venice, The Chancery Rosewood in London, and projects for restaurants, clubs, offices, and shops for brands such as Saint Laurent, Gucci, Bvlgari, Tiffany & Co. When going abroad, the destinations are France, the United Kingdom and Northern Europe. And then more episodic interventions, such as an operational structure in New York and retail inside a hotel in Dubai

'It is the big brands,' concluded Polvani, 'that, satisfied with the work done in Italia or Europe, then involve us in international projects. For us, the foreign market is not just the expansion of a geographical area, but a comparison with different contributions and global standards'.