Ettore Conti of Verampio, Count of VerampioOML, OMRI, OCI was an Italian senator, industrialist, and aristocrat.
Biography
Ettore Conti of Verampio was born on April 24, 1871 on Corso Venezia Street, Milan in the Kingdom of Italy. After having taught Construction Science at the Polytechnic University of Milan, Conti dedicated himself to the development of Italy's growing electrical industry. He founded the Conti & Co Electrical Company in 1901 which was the first in Italy to carry out the large scale transport of electricity to households across the country, it did so using large waterfalls and the complete exploitation of a water basins. From 1918 to 1919 he was Undersecretary for the Liquidation of Weapons and Munitions at the Ministry of the Treasury. In 1919 he became a Conservative Party Senator appointed by Vittorio Emanuele III. In 1920 he presided over the Italian Caucasus Campaign, in 1922 Conti participated in the Genoa Conference. He also directed Confindustria, the Association between Italian Joint Stock Companies, AGIP and Châtillon. In 1921 Conti was appointed honorary president of the Society of Encouragement Through The Arts and Artisanal Crafts one of the most long-lived and fruitful Italian institutions/charities aimed at promoting the protection of useful artisan crafts and training as a conduit for social and individual development. In 1925 he cast his vote against allowing full powers to Mussolini, despite the two later becoming close friends. In 1926 Conti left the management of the Conti Electricity Company and became the president of the newly formed AGIP, a position he left after only two years, citing the reason of his leaving as the numerous corporate positions assumed in the interest of the BCI, especially after the death of its vice president Pietro Fenoglio. Conti was later given a knighthood in 1931 in honour his industrial achievements for the Kingdom of Italy.
Involvement in Fascism
Conti Joined the National Fascist Party in 1932 and substantially adhered to the political and corporate purposes of the regime, but was undoubtedly critical towards the adherence to some important economic policy choices. Due to his friendship with Benito Mussolini, Conti was one of the few people to criticise him without fear of punishment or death. Conti enjoyed particular consideration from the Duce, so much so that in 1928-1929 he asked Conti to accompany his daughter Edda Mussolini during the 11th cruise of the Italian Naval League in India, in the hopes that his wife the Countess of Casati would transfer some of her elegant mannerisms and behaviour to his daughter. Conti also had extensive meetings and conversations with Hermann Göring and Adolf Hitler in Berlin at the International Chamber of Commerce conference, he continued to maintain ties with them throughout the war. In 1938 was made Extraordinary Ambassador of the Italian Economic Mission sent to Japan and Manchukuo to build commercial relationships with the Italy's new Asian allies, during which Conti marked the occasion by signing of an important document detailing the alliance in unison with Italian Ambassador Giacinto Auriti and General Kazushige Ugaki. In 1945 he was found innocent of having committed any war crimes and was later made president of the Rotary Club of Italy for his life achievements and philanthropy.
Death
The Count of Verampio passed away as a result of natural causes on December 13, 1972 in Milan at his Palazzo, La Casa degli Atellani.
