TRENTO (Reuters) – Alliances and partnerships are important to the growth of companies owned by the Benettons. This was the Chairman of Edizione, the holding company of the family, who answered a question regarding Florentino Perez, the Spanish tycoon.

Alessandro Benetton, a local business representative told Reuters that “We must continue the vocation we had always had of respecting partners with particular skills in business. This will not change.”

Reuters had asked Alessandro, the son of Luciano Benetton Group founder, if Perez was interested in remaining a partner despite his involvement in an attempt by Brookfield and GIP for Atlantia to be taken over by infrastructure funds Brookfield, in which Edizione owns a controlling share.

He declined comment specifically on Perez but said the growth strategy for companies controlled by Edizione would be based on internationalisation, alliances, and attention to sustainability.

His father and three brothers, who founded the family’s 1960s-era economic powerhouse in the 1960s, said “We need to return to the value of the founders.”

Edizione has partnered with U.S. Investment Fund Blackstone (NYSE 🙂 in preparation of a bid for Atlantia to be privatized after rejecting an unsolicited offer by Brookfield and GIP. Perez had aimed to demolish the motorway operator as well as the airport.

Perez, the founder of Spanish group ACS in 2018, had joined a partnership to help Atlantia buy Spanish motorway company Abertis.

Abertis’ management has been difficult for both partners. This leads to speculation that they might split.