Silvio Berlusconi’s will gives the late media billionaire’s two older children, Marina and Pier Silvio, combined control of the Fininvest family holding company.
The will, which was read yesterday, sees the combined stakes of the two children from the media billionaire’s first marriage rise to 53%, with both having equal parts. The rest of the holding is split between the three children from Berlusconi’s second marriage, Barbara, Eleonora and Luigi Berlusconi.
Marina Berlusconi is chairman of Fininvest and Pier Silvio Berlusconi is the CEO of Mediaset. The will leaves no one in sole control of Fininvest SpA, Marina Berlusconi said in a statement in the name of all five siblings.
“Having received the last will and testament of our father Silvio Berlusconi, Marina, Pier Silvio, Barbara, Eleonora and Luigi Berlusconi inform that no subject will exercise overall individual indirect control of Fininvest SpA, previously exercised by the father himself,” the statement said.
“The notary who read out the will is implementing the related legal requirements in the coming hours”.
Berlusconi left €100million to his brother Paolo and another €100million to his last partner, 33-year-old Marta Fascina.
He left €30million to his former aide Marcello Dell’Utri. A former Forza Italia Senator, Dell’Utri served four years in jail and another under house arrest for a 2014 conviction for external involvement in mafia association.
Berlusconi died last month at the age of 86 after a battle with leukaemia.
Expresses love for his children in a letter in will
Berlusconi expressed his love for his children in a letter in the will.
“Thank you, so much love to all of you, your father,” said the letter with instructions regarding the bequests to Fascina and Dell’Utri. The letter was dated January 19, 2022, before a spell in Milan’s San San Raffaele hospital.
“If I should not return, please take note of the following,” it read.
The decisions regarding Fininvest, however, were taken in October 2006.
Estimates put Berlusconi’s net worth at over €6billion when he died.
