Sergio Mantegazza

Sergio Mantegazza (31 October 1927 – 13 February 2024) was a Swiss-Italian billionaire businessman, chairman and owner of Globus, a multinational travel company. According to Forbes, Mantegazza was the 16th richest person in Switzerland, with an estimated net worth of US$2.7 billion as of February 2024.

Early life Sergio Mantegazza was born in Lugano, Switzerland, to Antonio and Angelina Mantegazza in 1927. He had a brother, Geo Mantegazza. He was educated at Istituto Elvetico In 2003, Avalon Waterways and Monograms were also created, focusing on independent travel and river cruises.

In October 2014, despite a personal injection of $180 million into the business, it emerged that the Mantegazza family had allowed a £220 million pension shortfall to develop, and it was reported that the Mantegazza family sold Monarch Airlines to Greybull Capital for £1. This deal involved the company's pension scheme transferring into the statutory Pension Protection Fund (PPF), causing 70 Monarch pilot's pension benefits to be affected by the PPF compensation cap. The Pension Regulator's subsequent statutory report later concluded that the majority of scheme members received 90% or more of their benefits. However, the deal was nonetheless criticised by The Guardian, which stated that the pilots' retirement plans had been "wrecked",

Furthermore, in 2021, the court of appeal ruled the PPF pension cap unlawful. The fallout of this ruling means that the actions of Mantegazza and later Greybull, have cost the taxpayer additional millions.

Personal life Mantegazza was married with three children (two living) and lived in Lugano, Switzerland. His son, Fabio Mantegazza (born 1955), was working with Sergio in the United Kingdom, and was CEO and chairman of Monarch Travel Group Ltd until the beginning of its demise in 2014. His daughter, Maria Dolores Mantegazza (born 1956), serves as a trustee to the Sergio Mantegazza Charitable Foundation in Canton Ticino alongside Fabio Mantegazza and Geo Mantegazza. The Foundation focuses on supporting various charities within the arts and youth sports programs as well as education and medical-related areas. Mantegazza also remained active in the organisation.

Mantegazza had a 64m super-yacht named Lady Marina, where guests have included Tina Turner.

Awards Mantegazza joined the British Travel Industry Hall of Fame in 2006 alongside Sir Richard Branson, Sir Rocco Forte and Stephen Kaufer.

Cosmos (formerly Cosmos Holidays) was shortlisted for the Travel Industry and Consumer Awards as well as the Globe Travel Awards, the TTG Travel Awards, the British Travel Awards and also the World of Cruising's Wave Awards, and Cruise International's Cruise Awards.