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Dona Bertarelli

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Dona Bertarelli
Bertarelli in 2018
Born (1968-03-03) 3 March 1968 (age 56)
Rome, Italy
Other namesDonata
CitizenshipSwiss
Occupation(s)Businessperson, sailor
SpouseYann Guichard
Children3
RelativesErnesto Bertarelli (brother)
Websitedonabertarelli.com

Dona Bertarelli[a] (born 1968) is a Swiss entrepreneur, philanthropist and ocean advocate. She is co-chair of the Bertarelli Foundation, founder of Sails of Change,[3] co-founder of the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy[4] and founder of Global Fishing Watch Marine Manager.[5] She is a Patron of Nature of the IUCN. As a sailor, she is the winner of the 2010 and 2014 Bol d'Or Mirabaud[6] and, with her team Spindrift Racing, the Fastnet Race in 2013. In the same year, she and her team also broke the record for the America Discovery Route. In the winter 2016 she completed the Jules Verne Trophy challenge.[7]

In 2023 she was distinguished as a Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour of France and as a Commander of the national Order of Honorato Vásquez of Ecuador.[8]

Early life and education

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Bertarelli was born in Rome on 3 March 1968. She is the daughter of Maria Iris Bertarelli and Fabio Bertarelli. She and her brother Ernesto inherited Serono, a biotechnology company. Serono was founded in 1906 in Rome and was the building block of the family's wealth.[9] The family now has several activities and investments, with interests in areas such as finance, real estate, health, sports, hospitality or agriculture. According to Forbes magazine, she is ranked as the 486th wealthiest person in the world with an estimated net worth of $6.2 billion, as of June 2024.[10]

Bertarelli has a BSc from Boston University's College of Communication.[11]

Business

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Bertarelli was active in Serono, the family business, and from 1992 to 1997 was Executive Director, Public and Professional Affairs, where she established the Serono Symposia and the Serono Foundation. The company was sold to Merck KGaA at the beginning of 2007.[12]

The five-star Grand Hôtel Park in Gstaad was taken over by Bertarelli in 2003.[13]

She became a special adviser to UNCTAD in June 2020.[14]

Philanthropy

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After her father died, in 1999 Bertarelli and her brother founded the Bertarelli Foundation to promote the sharing and development of scientific, social and economic knowledge in the field of infertility. For ten years, Bertarelli was Chairman of the Foundation.[15]

An article on the need for blue recovery sustainability, for which Bertarelli was co-author, was published in July 2020.[16] Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD and Berarelli encouraged countries to explore and expand the blue economy.[17] In November 2020, Bertarelli praised the decision to protect the waters of the archipelago, which was made by the Island Council of Tristan da Cunha.[18][19][20]

In 2021, the Bertarelli Rare Cancers Fund supported USD 15 million in research projects and community building.[21][22] In October 2022, Bertarelli launched the Sports for Nature partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature to raise awareness for the protection of environment through the sporting community.[23]

Bertarelli is an ambassador for the Swiss transfusion charity Ma Vie Ton Sang[24] and is a supporter of the World Health Organization's ‘Go Red for Women' campaign.[25] She is also a godmother to the Womanity charity (formerly Smiling Children).[26]

Sailing

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Bertarelli is an avid sailor and since 2007 has raced with her team, Spindrift Racing, in the monotype multihull regattas on Lake Léman with her Décision 35 catamaran, Ladycat. Bertarelli and her team won the Bol d'Or Mirabaud in 2010.[6] Bertarelli was the first helmswoman to win this race since its inception in 1939.[27][28]

Special adviser to UNCTAD Dona Bertarelli and Mukhisa Kituyi of UNCTAD

In January 2013, Bertarelli bought a Maxi Trimaran called Maxi Banque Populaire V for her Spindrift racing team.[29] In the same year, and with the boat now named Maxi Spindrift 2, she co-skippered the team to victory in the 45th Rolex Fastnet[30] and also set a new record for the America Discovery Route, beating the time set by Franck Cammas in 2007 by more than 20 hours.[31]

In August 2015, Dona Bertarelli's Spindrift 2 defended her title by taking line honors at the 46th Rolex Fastnet race.[32] Later that year, on 22 November, Bertarelli, with Yann Guichard and their crew, left Ushant (a French island off the northwest corner of Brittany) on Spindrift 2, attempting to break the record for a crewed non-stop circumnavigation (the Jules Verne Trophy).[33] While they did not break the record, Bertarelli became the fastest woman to sail around the world.[34]

In November 2021, Bertarelli and Guichard and their crew set off on their maxi-trimaran Sails of Change from La Trinite-sur-Mer in south-west Brittany being on stand-by to start their attempt to break the 2017 Jules Verne Trophy record of Francis Joyon. They used the occasion to promote the 30 by 30 campaign aiming to protect 30 per cent of the planet by 2030.[35][36] However, in February 2022, Bertarelli and Guichard were forced to abandon their plans for their fourth attempt due to unfavourable weather conditions over the winter.[37] This did not hinder them and their Spindrift Crew to pursue an ambitious year of record breaking attempts during 2022, and Bertarelli addressing One Ocean Summit delegates appealing again for the protection of at least 30% of the planet by 2030.[38] In October 2022, Bertarelli and Guichard put their crew on standby again for their renewed record breaking attempt of the Jules Verne Trophy, the fastest non-stop and unassisted circumnavigation of the world.[39]

Publications

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  • 22 March 2021 – Op-ed: The blue economy is an ocean of opportunity to advance gender equality[40]
  • 26 August 2022 – Op-ed: It's High Time to Protect Our High Seas[41]
  • 24 October 2022 – Op-ed: To protect the Southern Ocean, leaders must act now (commentary)[42]

Notes

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  1. ^ also known as Donata Guichard Bertarelli, Donata Bertarelli Späth, and Donata Bertarelli Spaeth.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ "Wealth-X dossier Donata Guichard Bertarelli". Archived from the original on 10 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  2. ^ Donata Bertarelli Spath Tops Wealthiest Swiss Women List
  3. ^ "At the first Sports for Nature Annual Meeting, sports propose a plan of action to protect biodiversity. - Sails of Change". Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy". Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Global Fishing Watch and Dona Bertarelli partnered to develop Global Fishing Watch Marine Manager". Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  6. ^ a b Boyd, James (13 June 2010). "Ladycat wins Bol d'Or Mirabaud". thedailysail.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  7. ^ Grez, Matias (22 December 2015). "Dona Bertarelli: Swiss billionaire attempts to break around the world record". CNN. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Lasso entregó a 6 extranjeros la Orden Honorato de Vásquez". Confirmado.net.
  9. ^ Serono S.A Key Dates
  10. ^ "Dona Bertarelli". Forbes. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Ernesto Bertarelli, Private Equity Fund Hot Player". Financial Wealth. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  12. ^ The Merck Group – Acquisition of Serono S.A Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ "Gstaad: gold on the mountain (translation)". Bilanz. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  14. ^ UNCTAD (2 June 2020), Dona Bertarelli and Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, retrieved 2 June 2020
  15. ^ "Gstaad: Ernesto Bertarelli King Midas(translation)". Le'Hebdo. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  16. ^ Kituyi, Mukhisa; Bertarelli, Dona (21 July 2020). "Why a sustainable blue recovery is needed". United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  17. ^ Wilson Muna Thuo Kinyua (13 August 2020). "Africa needs to explore, expand 'blue economy'". China Daily. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  18. ^ "Tristan da Cunha island creates massive marine protection zone". The Hindu. 15 November 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  19. ^ Danica Kirka (13 November 2020). "'Most remote island' creates massive marine protection zone". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  20. ^ Danica Kirka (15 November 2020). "World's most remote island becomes marine protection zone". NZ Herald. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  21. ^ Stephanie Dutchen (6 April 2021). "No Cancer Left Behind". Harvard Medical School. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  22. ^ Marina Qu, Ammy M. Yuan. "Swiss Philanthropist Gifts $75 Million to Harvard Medical School". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  23. ^ "IUCN and Sails of Change launch Sports for Nature partnership to help sports become nature-positive". IUCN. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  24. ^ "Ambassadeurs | MaVieTonSang" (in French). Mavietonsang.ch. 20 February 2012. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  25. ^ "Three Year Partnership between Go Red for Women and Dona Bertarelli's Ladycat Enables Campaign to Grow by 56%". Reuters. 3 February 2010. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  26. ^ Par Stéphane Benoit-Godet. "Comment les Bertarelli structurent leur action – Argent & finances, Les plus de la rédaction – Bilan" (in French). Bilan.ch. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  27. ^ Bol d'Or Mirabaud – History of the regatta
  28. ^ "How Bertarelli structure their action". Bilan. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  29. ^ "Dona Bertarelli acquires Maxi Banque Populaire V, legendary trimaran and winner of the Trophée Jules Verne. | PONTOON". Pontoon.es. 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  30. ^ Martín Vanzulli (15 August 2013). "Catamaran Racing, News & Design: Dona Bertarelli Spindrift 2 wins Rolex Fastnet 2013". Catsailingnews.com. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  31. ^ Stuart Alexander (6 November 2013). "Yacht racing billionairess Dona Bertarelli sees her team smash record for the Route of Discovery". The Independent. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  32. ^ Rolex Fastnet Race. "France Dominates 90th Anniversary Rolex Fastnet Race". Archived from the original on 5 November 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  33. ^ Spindrift Racing. "Departure of Spindrift 2 in Jules Verne Trophy Record Attempt". Archived from the original on 25 December 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  34. ^ Boyd, James (1 March 2016). "Sailing at warp speed". Sailing Magazine. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  35. ^ "Sails of Change crew ready to break circumnavigation record". mysailing. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  36. ^ "'Sails of Change'- A New Jules Verne Trophy Attempt By Dona Bertarelli & Yann Guichard". Afloat. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  37. ^ "Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard announce the end of Jules Verne standby for Sails of Change". Sail-World. 1 February 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  38. ^ "New record targets and a new Executive Director for Spindrift Racing". Sail-World. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  39. ^ "A new record attempt by the maxi trimaran Sails of Change". Sail-World. 12 October 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  40. ^ Dona Bertarelli (22 March 2021). "The blue economy is an ocean of opportunity to advance gender equality". UNCTAD. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  41. ^ Dona Bertarelli, Lewis Pugh (26 August 2022). "It's High Time to Protect Our High Seas". NAUTILUS. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  42. ^ Dona Bertarelli (24 October 2022). "To protect the Southern Ocean, leaders must act now (commentary)". MONGABAY. Retrieved 31 August 2023.