Established as a family-owned business, Fininvest S.p.A. is the holding company of one of the largest communications groups worldwide.
BILLION EUROS – REVENUES
BILLION EUROS – EBIT
EMPLOYEES
The Fininvest Group is committed to its business growth along the pathway of strategic guidelines heading to internationalization and innovation.
Thanks to the clarity of its strategic direction, the excellence of its companies, its strong balance sheet and sound financial position and above all the commitment and spiritedness of its employees, today the Fininvest Group is a spearhead of Italian entrepreneurship, and an outstanding cultural and civil growth engine, for Italy and Europe.
The Founder
Silvio Berlusconi, the Fininvest founder, has been one of the most important entrepreneurs, politicians, and statesmen in Italy.
Born in Milan on 29 September 1936, son of a bank employee and a housewife, he began to work in the construction sector in 1961, soon after his graduation from university and, between 1970 and 1991, he created Milano 2 and Milano 3, two of the most innovative residential areas in Europe at that time, in Segrate and Basiglio.
The Fininvest Group History
The origins and 1970s
After graduating from university, Silvio Berlusconi debuted as an entrepreneur in the construction sector. In 1963 he founded Edilnord, the company that built the residential properties of Milano Due in Segrate and Milano Tre in Basiglio.
Fininvest S.p.A. was established in 1975 while Telemilano 58 marked the beginning of the television experience in the following years.
1980s
These years witnessed the rapid expansion of commercial television – Canale 5 was established, and Rete 4 and Italia 1 were acquired.
Meanwhile, Silvio Berlusconi and Ennio Doris, his friend, founded Programma Italia, from which Banca Mediolanum would be originated. In 1985 Fininvest S.p.A. acquired a stake in Mondadori and began Segrate publishing house takeover.
1990s
Mondadori joined the Fininvest Group, while Mediaset and Mediolanum were listed on Milan Stock Exchange.
Abroad, Fininvest was among the founders of Spanish Telecinco, one of the most profitable commercial television broadcasters in Europe. The great Milan of Silvio Berlusconi was recognised as one of the elite football clubs in the world.
From 2000 to today
Mediaset develops the international project MFE–MediaForEurope: in 2023 it completes the merger with Mediaset España, and in 2025 it gains control of ProSiebenSat.1.
Mondadori increases its market share through the acquisition of major publishing houses. In 2026, Fininvest ends its involvement in football after leading AC Monza to a historic promotion to Serie A.
Structure and Companies
The Fininvest Group operates in several sectors that are key to the Italian and European economy, such as telecommunications, publishing, and finance.
MFE-MEDIAFOREUROPE
MFE-MEDIAFOREUROPE is the holding company of one of the largest pan-European television and radio broadcasting hubs.
Read more
MONDADORI GROUP
The Mondadori Group prides itself on an over-a-century tradition as book publisher.
Read more
BANCA MEDIOLANUM
Banca Mediolanum S.p.A. is one of the major players in the banking and asset management market in Italy and Europe.
Read more