Giulio Barbieri was born on January 30, 1956, in Vigarano Mainarda (Province of Ferrara, Italy).

The eldest of three brothers, he lost his father at the age of five; he attended primary school with “fair” results.

At the end of compulsory education, he enrolled at the IPSIA vocational school to obtain a qualification as an auto repair technician.
During this period, he contributed to the maintenance of the family unit by helping his mother run a small transport business left by his father. At the same time, given the family’s difficult economic situation, he took on all kinds of occasional jobs that could provide an honest source of income.

At the age of 19, he found employment as a truck crane operator with a major company in Ferrara, demonstrating great skill and passion for the job. Despite his young age, he was entrusted with expensive equipment for increasingly responsible tasks. To increase his income, he frequently volunteered for night shifts in road assistance services, always remaining available for emergency calls.

At the age of 21, he got married and soon became the father of a baby girl. Meanwhile, he decided to start his own business by opening a manual vehicle wash in his hometown.
Alongside this activity, he successfully promoted the sale of cars on behalf of a company based in Bologna which, due to serious financial difficulties, was unable to meet its obligations to its customers. To honour the promises made to these clients, Barbieri personally assumed full responsibility for the situation and, in addition to trying to support the company, reimbursed the affected customers with a substantial sum, borrowed from various banks, which he then repaid in instalments over the following years.

1980

At the age of 24, to cope with this difficult situation, alongside running the car wash, which he mainly operated at night, he also established a workshop specializing in exhaust welding. After a year of significant sacrifice, the new company provided employment to as many as 12 young people.

In the following five years (after becoming a father for the second time), he decided to abandon the car wash business while continuing with welding, and started a new entrepreneurial project in the field of awnings and mosquito nets. For several years, the two businesses—the welding activity and the newly established venture—operated in parallel until the latter eventually prevailed. Within a short period, the new company grew and expanded nationwide, thanks to the close contacts and strong relationships Barbieri had developed with major industrial groups.

1989

At the age of 33, in the same workshop where awnings were assembled, he designed a gazebo with a revolutionary and innovative shape, for which the market seemed unprepared.

Thus, Barbieri began, with enthusiasm and determination, a new and challenging path, successfully extending his commercial connections beyond Italy. It was the first time he introduced his company to the international market with a product of his own design. This insight finally allowed him to achieve the objective he had pursued persistently for so long: his conviction and enthusiasm quickly inspired industry professionals and designers.

In the same year, while casually having coffee in a bar and chatting with its owner, the possibility of purchasing the property arose entirely by chance. Despite having no prior knowledge or experience in the field, Barbieri signed the contract within twenty-four hours, and after a few months, a prestigious and original bistro was established, quickly becoming an important social gathering place in Ferrara. This idea marked a significant turning point for Ferrara’s social scene and set a new standard for managing public venues, so much so that customers were willing to wait outside just to enter—a phenomenon fondly remembered throughout the city.

1993

He relocated to an industrial building within a 5,000-square-meter complex, initially occupying 1,500 square meters, and within a few years expanded to fill the entire area, eventually transforming Giulio Barbieri S.r.l. into a joint-stock company (Società per Azioni).

1998

Barbieri was offered the chance to bring top-tier men’s volleyball to Ferrara, as the city no longer had representation in the league. He successfully reached an agreement with the Bologna club, bringing volleyball back to his hometown. In the first year, he served as a member of the board of directors with the role of vice-president; the following year, he acquired 50% of the club and became its president. The National Volleyball League appointed him as a board member. The subsequent years were particularly thrilling, marked by two significant achievements: reaching a league playoff semifinal and securing a fifth-place finish in the regular season.

During his management of the volleyball club, Barbieri, in addition to becoming the majority shareholder, built a youth program admired by major national clubs and established an efficient organizational structure that also promoted national-level beach volleyball events.

2001

At the age of 45, he was awarded the “Premio S. Giorgio,” a significant recognition from the Chamber of Commerce for his insightful work and innovative entrepreneurial vision despite his relatively young age.

2004

The prestigious new headquarters of Giulio Barbieri S.p.A. was officially inaugurated in the presence of authorities and numerous attendees. The site encompasses an overall area of 90,000 square meters, featuring a production facility of 10,000 square meters and a renovated small 20th-century hamlet, including a barn, farmhouse, and other associated buildings. These were restored using advanced technological solutions without altering their original architectural characteristics. The company became a benchmark not only due to its aesthetic appeal but particularly because it was among the few local enterprises able to generate employment in the Ferrara region, supported by an increasing commercial presence both domestically and internationally, with export sales now approaching 50% of total turnover. Despite challenging global economic conditions, Giulio Barbieri S.p.A. continued to grow, exporting to major countries around the world and earning the trust of prestigious clients, while internally providing training to dynamic and highly motivated young professionals.

At this stage, Giulio Barbieri decided to undertake a new challenge, running for Mayor of Ferrara with the civic list “Io Amo Ferrara” in the municipal elections held on June 13. As always, he assembled from scratch a diverse working group, whose members represented various social and economic sectors of the city. The initiative—forming, for the first time in 60 years, a civic list capable of proposing innovative solutions to the numerous challenges faced by citizens—was considered very difficult due to the lack of political party backing. Nevertheless, this challenge represented a significant turning point both in his life and in the lives of those who, despite having no previous political experience, decided to join him in this exciting venture. The “Io Amo Ferrara” team, led and coordinated by Giulio Barbieri, successfully convinced Ferrara’s electorate. In the 2004 municipal elections, many citizens placed their trust in the coherence and seriousness expressed in the program. “Io Amo Ferrara,” which began almost unnoticed, ultimately achieved nearly 7% of the vote, securing two seats on the City Council.

2006

For Giulio Barbieri, 2006 was a year of contradictions. Despite the successes and fulfillment achieved through his entrepreneurial activities, and the deep joy of becoming a grandfather to Alessandro, son of his eldest daughter, devastating news arrived, irreversibly disturbing the family’s fate: his wife, Gianna, became seriously ill, marking the beginning of a dark period filled with hope, disillusionment, and an unyielding fight against time to find an effective cure to overcome her illness.

Driven by this devastating personal experience, Barbieri initiated an unprecedented effort in 2006: an awareness campaign highlighting the environmental conditions and the impact of pollution on public health. Posters were placed throughout Ferrara to inform citizens and, above all, to foster individual awareness that it was possible to reverse a harmful trend that had persisted for too long. This unique informational campaign, vigorously promoted by Giulio Barbieri through multiple initiatives (posters were displayed repeatedly throughout 2006), combined with the diligent and proactive work of the “Io Amo Ferrara” city councilors, clearly defined the civic group’s ethical stance: publicly denouncing any situation or action detrimental to citizens, even if this stance could sometimes appear inconvenient or against the mainstream political approach aimed at maintaining existing compromises and balances of power.

The following year brought profound grief and loss for Barbieri. His wife Gianna passed away on August 10 after months of illness and suffering; tragedy struck again at the end of the year with the death of his mother, Franca.

Gianna’s passing left Giulio Barbieri with an irreplaceable emotional void. In her memory, he decided to purchase the “Torre dell’Uccellino,” located directly opposite the company’s headquarters. For the first time in its history, the tower was illuminated from within. Following the damage sustained by the tower due to the earthquake that struck the region in 2012, Barbieri promptly undertook its restoration, protecting it from further deterioration or collapse.

2008

Giulio Barbieri ultimately made the definitive decision to run for Mayor of Ferrara in the upcoming municipal elections of June 2009, despite initially deciding against it for personal reasons. The decisive factor in his choice was the dedication and unity with which the “Io Amo Ferrara” group had continued working, remaining cohesive, active, and motivated.

In 2008, the strategy for the upcoming electoral campaign took shape, focused exclusively on providing voters with the information that political parties preferred to withhold. A continuous dialogue with the public was also emphasized to reinforce the idea that the civic list “Io Amo Ferrara” was an association open to everyone, regardless of their political beliefs, pursuing solely the economic and social development of Ferrara and its territory.

2009

In February 2009, the first of a series of pre-election posters appeared, all emphasizing the need to establish a direct line of communication with citizens for a constant exchange of opinions and reflections on various key issues to foster a real revival of the city of Ferrara—both socially and economically. Giulio Barbieri’s public messages were clear and straightforward, almost underscoring that the era of complicated, incomprehensible “political jargon” was over. The concepts highlighted in the posters resonated with an increasingly broad and aware audience recognizing the need for change.

Giulio Barbieri was pleased to see that the consistency and commitment demonstrated over the years had consolidated and strengthened the position and credibility of the civic list “Io Amo Ferrara,” which had managed to build a concrete and constructive path through its coherence. The number of new members joining the association grew exponentially. To emphasize the importance and need for communication, Barbieri decided to launch a unique project, never before attempted in a municipal election context: public broadcasts open to all on the local station TELESTENSE, during which, live on television, the mayoral candidate of Ferrara, Giulio Barbieri, presented the key points of the “Io Amo Ferrara” electoral program, supported by experts on the various topics discussed. The public was also able to interact, contributing to and enriching the program through the creation of a fully interactive website (www.ioamoferrara.it).

The result of the 2009 municipal elections was surprising: over 10% of the votes went to Giulio Barbieri and his civic list; for the first time in decades, the Municipality of Ferrara faced a runoff election. On this occasion, by the decision of its president, the civic list “Io Amo Ferrara” did not support any political faction, maintaining its identity and independence without party alignments.

Giulio Barbieri relinquished his position as City Councilor to a trusted collaborator because he chose to return to his “profession” as an entrepreneur. Had he been elected mayor, he would have delegated that responsibility to another figure.

The year 2009 was marked by a severe global economic recession, making it a priority to develop new commercial strategies and propose new products to stimulate a market struggling to regain momentum.

Giulio Barbieri embarked on this new challenge—equally exciting and stimulating as the previous ones. He entered a period of intense work both commercially (missions within Italy and abroad to strengthen the commercial network, participation in international trade fairs) and technically, collaborating closely with the research and development department to renew the existing product range and, above all, to introduce new products.

2010

Giulio Barbieri had the satisfaction and privilege of seeing his company selected as an official FIFA supplier for the World Cup held in South Africa. Thanks to this prestigious recognition, the Ferrara-based company was commissioned to produce all the extendable player entrance tunnels to be installed in the stadiums hosting the World Cup competitions. The news that a local company had secured such an important contract generated significant media coverage, with extensive attention given by both radio and television.

2010 – 2011

The aluminum photovoltaic canopy was born—unique in its kind due to its reinforced concrete bases, which allow coverage of large areas without the need for foundation excavation.

Alongside these “large photovoltaic coverings,” Giulio Barbieri took a nearly “pioneering” step in the global landscape of electromobility: Giulio Barbieri S.p.A. became the first Italian company to offer a charging station capable of recharging all types of electric vehicles.

Riding on the wave of prior media impact, television commercials and advertising campaigns were created and launched in prominent national magazines and networks to maximize the visibility of the new product’s features.

The market rewarded this innovative idea by securing significant contracts both in Italy and Europe, installing several photovoltaic stations.

A standout trait of Giulio Barbieri’s multifaceted personality is his ability to communicate effectively concepts that reflect his ideals and convictions, successfully sharing them with his interlocutors. Thanks to this ability, Giulio Barbieri was invited as a speaker to the economics faculties of the Universities of Ferrara and Milan for a series of seminars focused on the meaning of entrepreneurship today within a globalized market. These occasions for dialogue with young people about to enter the workforce also served as moments of gathering and exchange of opinions.

This need for exchange, aimed at undertaking a path of common growth, certainly contributed to Giulio Barbieri’s decision to begin construction of a new space within his company headquarters designed to host seminars, conferences, events, and public or private gatherings. He has always actively collaborated with volunteer and institutional associations, offering his facilities and resources. The new building will have an octagonal shape with a low environmental impact to respect eco-sustainability principles.

Thanks to the entrepreneurial vitality of its owner, Giulio Barbieri’s company confirmed itself again in 2011 as one of the few stable and constantly growing local enterprises economically and in terms of employment, standing in clear contrast to the current difficult economic situation.

2012

The year 2012 promised to be full of new prospects and events: some positive and stimulating, others sadly tragic and destined to leave a mark. Despite a worsening global economic situation year after year, the Giulio Barbieri company confirmed its positive trend and continued to establish itself internationally, demonstrating that export remains the true anti-crisis recipe. Among its most significant contracts were: winning the tender to supply around one hundred hospitality structures for the London 2012 Olympic Games (a contract that could not be publicized due to a confidentiality agreement); signing a supply contract with the government of Cameroon for thousands of square meters of modular coverings to be used at official and commemorative events; and finally, an important collaboration agreement with the American giant SUNPOWER, a photovoltaic module manufacturer, for the exclusive use of its modules on the carport canopies produced by the Ferrara-based company.

Notably, Giulio Barbieri resumed a topic close to his heart that he had not addressed since his mayoral candidacy: communicating high-impact, politically and socially charged messages through national magazines. These deliberately provocative messages clearly expressed the dissent of an entrepreneur grappling with an extremely difficult economic situation, facing uncertainty and widespread political incompetence without any support. An entrepreneur like Giulio Barbieri could not remain indifferent to alarming news about many of his “colleagues” driven to extreme measures by economic hardship, and he chose to make his voice heard strongly. His heartfelt appeals, rich in critical but constructive points, did not go unnoticed, earning him a regular role as a commentator on the Rai Due TV program “ULTIMA PAROLA.”

May 20, 2012, would sadly become a historic date: Emilia was struck by a powerful earthquake that devastated an area previously considered to have very low seismic risk. The damage in the provinces of Ferrara and Modena was immeasurable: small towns previously unknown (Finale Emilia, San Carlo, Cento, etc.) suddenly and tragically became front-page news due to widespread destruction. Schools, churches, homes, and industrial buildings literally collapsed. Fortunately, Giulio Barbieri’s company emerged unscathed from this devastating experience, but the Ferrara entrepreneur was determined not to rest on his luck. Never before had Giulio Barbieri’s product been so “useful” as during this period: emergency shelters for earthquake victims.

2013

The year 2013 will surely be remembered by future generations as one of the darkest periods for the Italian economy.

Despite these objective difficulties, Giulio Barbieri courageously decided to invest in a new path that would secure a solid and growing future for his company. The development of new products, alongside the existing range, propelled the company into new global markets, quickly establishing an identity that made it a key player in the green economy sector. The multiple electric vehicle charging solutions, providing energy at “zero kilometer,” proved effective not only for their great technological innovation but also as a new, direct form of communication with significant media impact, attracting the attention of public administrations, organizations, associations, and some of the most prestigious advertising agencies worldwide. This winning formula allows users to access the service free of charge, enables administrations to install the infrastructure without any investment, and offers agencies a profitable business model linked to managing advertising spaces.

Thus, 2013 was a year of economic hardship but also of growth aimed at ensuring a less uncertain future filled with new programs and stimulating prospects.

In November, Giulio Barbieri received a very prestigious recognition from the President of the Republic and was awarded the title of Cavaliere Ufficiale al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (Official Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic). This honor is granted to citizens who have acquired particular merits in the fields of science, literature, arts, economics, and in public service and activities conducted for social, philanthropic, and humanitarian purposes.