PARIS, Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- 16-18 November 2011 – Palais des Festivals, Cannes -- Mario Moretti Polegato, Chairman of Geox, will be the MAPIC 2011 'Personality of the Year,' as part of MAPIC's celebration of Italy, the event's Country of Honour. A special tribute will be made to Mr Polegato during the MAPIC Awards Ceremony at the Palais des Festivals on Thursday, 17th November at 6.30 pm. On the same day, he will reveal the key to his brand's success in a much-anticipated keynote address.
Born into a family of farmers and winemakers, this highly unusual entrepreneur first exercised his talents in wine production before embarking on the challenge of producing a very special type of shoe. The Geox concept was invented after a hike in Nevada in the mid-'90s, where he decided to make holes in the soles of his shoe to relieve his overheated feet. After refusals from several major industrial groups back in Italy, Mario Moretti Polegato decided to launch his own brand of footwear fitted with a waterproof membrane that absorbs and expels sweat. A few years later, he expanded his portfolio to ready-to-wear products based on the same model. His remarkable track record has earned him recognition and esteem from professionals and public authorities alike. In 2010 he was named 'Innovator of the Year' at the CNBC European Business Leaders Awards organized by CNBC in partnership with The Financial Times. Mario Moretti Polegato also devotes much of his time to teaching, in the process sharing his insights into intellectual property with students from leading engineering and business schools and international universities.
"Recognized worldwide as the inventor of 'the shoe that breathes,' Mario Moretti Polegato has raised his brand to the position of market leader through a combination of innovation and creativity. The runaway success of Geox, driven by a cutting-edge marketing strategy and international development policy, is a fascinating case study of entrepreneurial success. We are delighted to honour him as a visionary who has brought a new perspective to the world of personal accessories," says Nathalie Depetro, Director of MAPIC.
Ranked the leading footwear brand in Italy in 2009 and the second worldwide in the life-style casual footwear segment by the specialist trade magazine Shoe Intelligence, the Geox brand has established itself by promoting its use of technology and its fashion value. The company makes constant investments in research to develop new materials and techniques. In 2011 Geox and Red Bull Racing have signed a technical partnership agreement for the development and supply of "shoes that breathe" to the Red Bull Racing team, including the drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber and the team mechanics.
One of the brand's strengths is its diversified development strategy, which mixes retailing across 1,077 Geox shops as well as in 10,000 multi-brand outlets, which accelerate its penetration of overseas markets. As of 30th June, 2011, over 60% of Geox sales are made cross-border in countries such as Germany, France and Spain, where the brand has been highly successful.
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