by Stefania Fumo
ROME, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Tributes poured in Wednesday to late auto executive Sergio Marchionne, who died in a clinic in Zurich earlier in the day.
The 66-year-old Italian-Canadian executive, who brought Fiat carmaker back from the brink of failure and successfully merged it with U.S. rival Chrysler to found Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), had suffered complications since undergoing surgery on one of his shoulders in late June.
"The passing of Sergio Marchionne... pains us and leaves a void in all those who have known and appreciated his human, intellectual, and professional qualities," President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, said in an official statement.
"Marchionne wrote an important page in the history of Italian industry," Mattarella said. "As leader of Fiat he crossed years of profound and radical transformations in the markets, systems of production, financial strategies, labor relations... His vision always tried to look beyond the horizon and to imagine how innovation and quality could strengthen the future course."
"With his leadership Marchionne bore witness to all this, showing the world the capacities and the creativity of our country's manufacturing industries," Mattarella said.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also issued a brief statement. "On behalf of myself and of the entire government I express condolences at the passing of Sergio Marchionne. My heartfelt sympathies to his family and all his loved ones," Conte said.
"Honor to a man who did so much and who could have done so much more," tweeted Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, adding "best wishes to he who has the honor and the responsibility of taking his place."
Italy's "big three" trade unions also honored the late executive.
"He saved FCA from failure with enlightened choices and an extraordinary capacity for innovation," tweeted CISL union leader Annamaria Furlan. "The entire country should be grateful to him."
"The whole of UIL expresses sincere condolences," tweeted its leader, Carmelo Barbagallo.
Italy's biggest and most left-leaning union, CGIL, said in a statement that "Marchionne, whom the CGIL has always esteemed, has the undoubted merit of having saved a dying company."
CGIL, which unlike the other two unions never came to terms with Marchionne's downsizing of Fiat in Italy, called him "a man of great intelligence and managerial ability (and) a tough negotiator" who, however, was "divisive" of the unions.
"Today Italy and Europe bid farewell to a great gentleman and a great manager," tweeted European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, who is Italian. "Dear Sergio, thanks for your precious contribution towards a new European industrial policy. Rest in peace."
Ferrari racing champion Sebastian Vettel also took to Twitter to hail Marchionne, who was also president of Ferrari: "With immense sadness we announce Sergio Marchionne has passed away. R.I.P."
Former center-left premier, Matteo Renzi, tweeted: "Marchionne has been a great protagonist of the economic life of the past 15 years. He managed to give Fiat a future, when it seemed impossible."
Also on Wednesday, the assembly lines at FCA's various plants in Italy stopped for 15 minutes as autoworkers paid their respects, RAI public broadcaster reported.
FCA employs 236,000 people, has 159 plants, 87 R&D centers, and dealers and distributors in more than 140 countries. Its stable of brands includes Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep, Lancia, Ram, Maserati and Mopar, the parts and service brand. The Group's businesses also include Comau (production systems), Magneti Marelli (components) and Teksid (iron and castings).
