Andrea Pininfarina, head of the famed Italian design firm that bears his family name died Thursday morning in a motorcycle accident after a car collided with the Vespa he was riding to the company's design and r&d center in Cambiano. Pininfarina, who was 51, had been Chief Executive Officer of Pininfarina S.p.A. since 2001 and Chairman of the Board of Directors since 2006. Andrea Pininfarina was the grandson of the founder of the firm, Battista "Pinin" Farina. The death of Andrea Pininfarina comes at a time when the family-controlled company is in the midst of a crucial restructuring after Pininfarina's consolidated net loss increased from €21.9 million in 2006 to €114.9 million in 2007. Via: ANE (sub.req)
