Margherita Montanari takes the helm of Reggio’s food sector
19 June 2025Emilia’s agri-food industry has a new leader. Margherita Montanari, Alumna of the Executive MBA at Bologna Business School, has been elected President of the Agri-Food Group of Unindustria Reggio Emilia for the 2025-2027 term.
The appointment comes after a growing career. Commercial and Marketing Director of Montanari & Gruzza SpA – a company producing butter and Parmigiano Reggiano with 100 employees and 162 million euros in revenue – Montanari takes over from Fausto Papa and is ready to lead a sector worth 1.8 billion euros through 46 associated companies and 2,300 employees.
A tailored strategy for each sub-sector
“We want to propose activities and tailored projects for the sub-sectors present in the territory, at least ten including dairy, pasta, meat, bakery products, wines, vinegars and musts, seeds, cereals, feed, semi-finished products and catering,” explains the new President. “Not only dedicated meetings, but also promotional initiatives with buyers and trade magazines to enhance Reggio’s excellence within Emilia’s Food Valley.”
Her recipe focuses on three pillars: enhancing local supply chains, maintaining “constant listening to concrete needs of associates” and accelerating internationalization. The first test will be Anuga in Germany, where she will bring the R.E.T.E. – Reggio Emilia Taste of Italy project.
“We will continue with the R.E.T.E. food network project that has already successfully involved 14 companies and will participate with its own stand at the prestigious Anuga fair in October,” announces Montanari. An initiative that outgoing president Fausto Papa defines as “a business card with strong impact at international trade fairs, strengthening the narrative of Reggio food.”
The BBS factor
An appointment and approach that perfectly capture the DNA of the Executive MBA at Bologna Business School: training leaders who can navigate complexity, innovation and territory, multiplying opportunities.
Her journey deserves to be told. That’s why we asked her two questions.
President Montanari, what is the first challenge you will face leading the Agri-Food Group and how do you think the skills and tools acquired during the Executive MBA can help in this new role?
We will certainly start by listening to all the associated sector companies to define priority actions and gather insights to improve the effectiveness of our activities. This will allow us to expand the participation base and become a solid and representative group of this strategic sector for our province. The Executive MBA, which I completed in 2022, was a formative experience of the highest value, both professional and human, that provided me with new skills complementary to the more empirical ones I had previously acquired at university and in business. It allowed me to understand how theory and practice must merge and live in balance, but above all how an idea of change, progress and innovation can translate into a concrete and effective project. From doing it in your own company to bringing it to a group, the discriminating factor is sharing.
What advice would you give to those considering an Executive MBA at Bologna Business School today?
My honest advice is to choose to enrich your human and professional future through a complete experience in terms of skills acquired, but unique and unrepeatable for the relationships established.
