Finmeccanica SpA says that the surprise decision to rename itself after Leonardo da Vinci is intended to echo the polymath’s “genius” in describing inventions — including the helicopter — centuries before they became a reality.
Finmeccanica CEO Mauro Moretti said that while the company is well-known in the aviation industry, it needs a name that is easier to remember. From 1 January next year, it will be known as Leonardo SpA.
Although Leonardo is renowned as the painter of The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, his interests spanned architecture, literature, mathematics, anatomy, geology and astronomy. Most pertinent to Finmeccanica is the fact that he has been credited with devising workable plans for the helicopter and the tank.
“We looked for something that would reflect the history of our evolution in space and security,” Mr Moretti said at a press conference in Milan’s Science and Technology Museum Leonardo da Vinci, which has a collection of the Italian master’s models and drawings.
“Luckily, we have this genius Leonardo. We think that this will be the basis of our future motto: ‘Genius at your service’.”
Finmeccanica, which employs almost 50,000 people, said in a statement that after a structural revamp that included the sale of its rail business, the company is now ready to “redefine its identity.” Shareholders will vote on the name change at their annual meeting next month.
The Rome-based group, which owns the Alenia Aermacchi aerospace and Agusta Westland helicopter brands — plus a 21% share in the Eurofighter programme — plans to operate as Leonardo-Finmeccanica SpA this year to ensure continuity in its relationships with foreign customers.