Grimaldi renews itself: more digital and Vieri partner and 'brand ambassador'

A 'phygital' platform, with ambitious business plans and new governance. But also a new shareholder and brand ambassador such as 'Bobo' Vieri. Six months after its acquisition by Esperia Investor, Grimaldi Franchising (one of the leading real estate consultancy networks in Italy, founded 40 years ago in Turin) is renewing itself.

In practice, Grimaldi Franchising will adopt a new approach to the market by making available, in support of the network's business, its agency division for direct operations on the real estate market: from the supervision of fractioning and building sites to the promotion and management of luxury properties, up to the management of portfolios of properties to be placed on the market.  This new approach will already lead to an estimated increase in revenues in 2025 of 30% over the current year, with further growth expected in the two-year period 2026-2027 thanks to the consolidation of the new lines of business and a solid business plan that envisages a 25% increase in the number of agencies (from the current 180 to 225) and an increase of around 60% in the number of partner consultants (from 700 to 1,100).

Over the next three years, more than two million euros will be invested in advertising and marketing, with an exceptional brand ambassador: Christian "Bobo" Vieri, who enters the Grimaldi shareholding structure with a 5% stake, compared to the 85% held by Esperia and the 10% held by Racco Group. In addition, significant investments have been undertaken to redesign the platforms that, together with the site, will be in operation by the first half of 2025. A strong signal of change also comes from the new brand, which has been totally redesigned starting with the logo. The redesign will lead to a change of signage throughout the country. In Foro Bonaparte, Milan, the Grimaldi Lounge will open to the public, the innovative flagship store where the most demanding customers will be able to find a personalised service, in an exclusive space, elegant and informal at the same time. The entire network will receive a series of digital tools for social media & digital marketing activities, chatbots and tools based on Artificial Intelligence that will allow the brand identity to be locally declined according to the specificities of the reference territory.

Leading the new course is a governance that sees Emiliano di Bartolo confirmed in the role of chairman, Antonio Ferrara managing director with responsibility for the Finance area, and Luigi Sada managing director with responsibility for the Corporate area. Two new additions: Fabio Guglielmi, who boasts solid expertise in the management of real estate networks, joins the company as managing director with responsibility for the Commercial area, while Mattia Villaggi takes on the role of marketing manager.

"We have embarked on a new course, but our goal remains the same: to continue the path of strengthening and expansion on the market that we started this year," said Emiliano di Bartolo, president of Grimaldi. "We offer companies and professionals in the sector a series of tools and services characterised by a strong technological component that are unusual and decidedly innovative for a market that is still very traditional like the Italian one; this offer, together with the equally unusual strategy of uniting the different souls of franchising and agency, will allow us to rapidly increase our competitiveness in the sector.