Carlo Alessi was born in Granerolo (Verbania) in 1916, studied technical design at the OMAR institute in Novara, and, at an early age worked in the metal workshop set up by his father, Giovanni, in 1921. From the mid-thirties until the mid-forties, he designed many Alessi works including the “Ottagonale”, “Scalini”, “Cylindrical” and “Bombé'” series. In the fifties, he became managing director of the company bringing with him a new international dimension, and began working with new external designers. He was president of Alessi S.P.An until 2009 when he passed away.