Manfredi Catella

Ceo and Founder COIMA sgr

Manfredi Catella is one of the most important entrepreneurs on the Italian scene. He is currently CEO and CoFounder of COIMA SGR, an independent company leader in the asset management of real estate investment funds on behalf of Italian and international institutional investors, Chairman of the family business COIMA – specialized in real estate development and management on behalf of institutional investors – and Chairman of the Riccardo Catella Foundation. COIMA has always had a strong focus on the environmental sustainability of its projects and adheres to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program, making use of a dedicated staff: the LEED Green Associate.

Catella has built an impressive CV, holding important positions in London, Paris and Chicago. He took his first steps, however, at the Catholic University of Milan, where he attended the degree course in Economics and Commerce, graduating with a thesis in Urban Economics with Professor Andrea Villani.

The entrepreneur has excellent memories of Università Cattolica, he speaks of a valid and demanding university: "It is a very serious and rigorous university. From lectures to the exam calendar, everything is organized in a very 'challenging' way compared to other universities, to move forward you have to work hard and work hard, in short, nothing is taken for granted, let's say that it is not for everyone. I myself had to study a lot to keep up with the pace." According to Catella, that extra something that distinguishes Università Cattolica lies not only in its valid academic organization, but also in its basic approach, built on a level of humanistic, cultural, religious and academic values that contribute to providing students with a wealth of knowledge from a human, cultural and professional point of view.

"There are many universities that, despite being good, are too market-oriented and do not give the right importance to the human formation of students. From this point of view, in my opinion, Università Cattolica has an edge, as it trains students not only from an academic point of view, but also from a human and value point of view," explains Catella. While still graduating, the young entrepreneur was called for a position at JP Morgan, which he left in 1992 after winning a scholarship at the Polytechnic of Turin, where he attended
a master's degree in Urban Planning. After completing his master's degree, he flew to London to take a course in Advanced Management at the London Business School. And here begins his professional career around the world. After completing his studies, in fact, he entered the world of work, immediately holding prominent positions: he was in charge of managing real estate investment funds on behalf of Heitman in Chicago. He then worked for HSBC, dealing with investment management between Milan and Paris. The experience that Catella acquired in the field of finance led him to be called to JP Morgan Fleming Asset Management co Morgan Fleming Asset Management
As Managing Director and member of the Board of Directors.
Subsequently, for fifteen years, he was in charge of the Italian division of Hines, a company that, for more than fifty years, has been one of the world's leading companies in its sector. Recently, the entrepreneur acquired control of the company Hines Italia SGR, which he renamed COIMA SGR (name of the family business), at the same time he worked on the project of a SIIQ (listed real estate investment company), COIMA RES.
From 2000 to 2015 Manfredi Catella carried out and carried out the ambitious redevelopment project of Porta Nuova in Milan, a project that last February was taken over by the Qatari Sovereign Wealth Fund. The plan, of international importance, covered 350 thousand square meters, corresponding to the areas of Garibaldi and Varesine and Isola that have been transformed from degraded areas to development centers, under the watchful eye of the international community, which has followed with interest the preparation of one of the largest construction sites ever seen in Europe.
"It was a very long and demanding project that I strongly wanted and of which I carefully followed all the phases, from the development and regeneration project of the Porta Nuova area, to its actual implementation," says Catella. Three construction sites, Porta Nuova – Garibaldi, Varesine, Isola, investments of two billion euros, 350 thousand square meters of new structures with 380 residences, these are some of the numbers of the project under the leadership of Manfredi Catella.

With regard to redevelopment, there is one element that Dr. Catella is particularly keen to underline:
The entire project was developed and then implemented, always considering the issue of sustainability to be a fundamental element. In fact, the construction sites were certified with the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standard, which guarantees a low level of impact on the territory. "This is a guarantee of the eco-sustainability of the implementation of the project," explained Catella. In fact, environmental sustainability has always been a theme very dear to COIMA and the Catella family.

Considering the experience and the enviable curriculum, two questions arise spontaneously: what are the best tips that young graduates should follow to overcome, in the best possible way, the difficult moment of transition that occurs between the completion of the course of study and the entry into the world of work? And how can you manage to find a job that matches the expectations according to which you studied? According to Manfredi Catella, there are some fundamental points to take into consideration: "This is a particularly important and delicate issue because by the time you leave university, you have already completed an important part of your path, in the sense that you have already chosen a path in some way, it is not like when you finish high school and you still have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of study itineraries."
Therefore, a first fundamental piece of advice is to try to have as many experiences abroad as possible: "Working outside Italy is essential, not only for those who aim to conquer a stable position outside our borders, but also and indeed, above all, for those who aim to work in Italy. By traveling and relating as much as possible with foreign realities, you can learn a lot," explains Catella, who has made working abroad one of the dominant leitmotifs of his career.
The second piece of advice is to follow everything you are dealing with with great passion and curiosity: "Being curious means always being available to learn and acquire new skills, and this is a fundamental element to succeed in your job at your best".
Third and most important piece of advice: never get tired of learning. For Catella, in fact, there is no age that marks the end of learning, every opportunity can be decisive to acquire new skills.

According to the words of Manfredi Catella, it is essential to always keep the learning curve under control, which must always be on the rise, regardless of the position you hold or the age you are: "in short, you must always know how to get involved".

Presenza, 2016 - He's come a long way... by Giulia Argenti