Italian Icons, Dexelance
This article was originally published in Italian in Panorama on 24th December 2025.
Please note that this is a courtesy translation of the Italian language article originally published in the Panorama Magazine Issue at: https://www.panorama.it/attualita/economia/italian-icons-dexelance
The Italian Icons series celebrates those who have successfully brought the authentic value of Italian excellence to the global stage, building meaningful bridges with strategic markets such as China.
In this edition, we meet Giorgio Gobbi, Managing Director of Dexelance, one of the most influential groups in Italy’s high-end design sector. Comprising 13 companies with strong and complementary identities, Dexelance brings together innovation, aesthetics, and strategic vision within a coherent and dynamic industrial project.
Gobbi joined Dexelance in 2015 and today leads the group with a distinctly international perspective, shaped by previous experiences at Whirlpool, Ideal Standard, Marazzi, and Calligaris. A graduate of Bocconi University, his career has focused on brand management and digital transformation, supported by deep expertise in global markets.
At the start of our conversation, Gobbi shares a personal anecdote that reveals his special connection with Panorama:
“Panorama and I were born in the same year. It is a real pleasure for me to talk about Dexelance in a magazine that has always been part of my life.”
The interview takes us through Dexelance’s expansion strategy in China, the cultural dialogue between Italian design and Eastern sensibilities, and the emerging frontiers of sustainable luxury—showing how Dexelance is transforming Italian design into a global experience, without ever losing sight of its roots.
1. This year, Dexelance has expanded its presence in China with a new showroom in Shanghai. What were the main motivations behind this decision, and how does the Chinese market fit into Dexelance’s global development strategy?
The Chinese market is very dynamic and forward-looking, focused on innovation, personalization, and the adoption of new trends. This is especially true in Shanghai, the country’s vibrant economic heart, where the community of Chinese architects and designers is concentrated.
The opening of the new headquarters, which we unveiled in June, represented a further step forward in Dexelance’s internationalization process, consolidating our global identity while maintaining a strong connection with the roots of Italian design. It has allowed us to strengthen our presence in China through synergies with local partners, retailers, architects, and interior designers, as well as through the development of new business opportunities, continuing to support the individual companies of the group as they enter new markets and giving them access to an increasingly extensive network.
2. You’ve said that Dexelance’s goal in China is not just to export Italian design, but to engage in a process of cultural translation. How do you bridge Italian design philosophy with Chinese cultural aesthetics in practice?
Having a local team in China is essential, as it allows us to interpret the values of Italian design and lifestyle in a way that resonates with a cultural context evolving at a pace unknown to the Western world.
At Dexelance, we work to localize our strategy by adjusting it to the nuances of each market and the expectations of local customers. The Shanghai headquarters act as a bridge between Italy and China, symbolically representing continuity between the two cultures: it is a space of cross-pollination that celebrates the connection between the modernity of Chinese lifestyle and the elegance and aesthetics typical of Italian design.
3. Are there any plans to collaborate with Chinese architects or designers in future projects?
We do not exclude future collaborations with local architects and designers; in fact, the Shanghai headquarters were also created to become hub for them. It was conceived as a meeting place to welcome, connect, and inspire professionals and industry players, encouraging exchange, creative cross-contamination, and collaboration.
4. With the growing importance of outdoor living spaces as a new symbol of luxury, and Dexelance’s recent acquisition of a 25% stake in the outdoor furniture group RODA, how do you envision the future of luxury furniture, both globally and in China?
Outdoor spaces are taking on an increasingly central role, and the recent strategic alliance we formed with Roda was conceived with the aim of further strengthening the company’s leadership in the high-end outdoor furniture sector.
I see the future of high-end furniture - in Europe as well as in China - as a balance between tradition and innovation, aesthetics and experience. The market is steadily evolving towards a concept of total living experience: people no longer purchase just an object, but the set of values it represents and its ability to evoke emotions. Personalization will be a key element, and technology will be a valuable ally at the service of design and artisanal quality.
5. Sustainability has become a defining issue for the global design industry. How is Dexelance incorporating environmental responsibility and sustainable innovation into its operations?
We are convinced that sustainable design must - and can - also generate emotions without sacrificing beauty. For this reason, we continuously invest in innovation.
Furthermore, our group operates under a climate neutrality regime. To calculate our carbon footprint, we analyzed the emissions generated by our companies’ activities and offset them through specific projects aimed at reducing them, such as the installation of solar panels at our facilities, and by purchasing voluntary carbon credits.
6. What key advice would you give to European companies and investors who wish to enter and succeed in the Chinese market?
The Chinese market is extremely interesting and holds enormous development potential, both quantitatively and qualitatively, but it also has its own characteristics that differentiate it from the Western markets we are more familiar with.
Entering the Chinese market requires more than simply exporting a model; it means building a journey to deeply understand the local context, its cultural codes, habits, and consumer expectations, which, as mentioned, evolve very rapidly, adopting Western standards while also rediscovering the values of local tradition.
It is important to invest in local presence by partnering with local players and building dedicated teams.
By: Avv. Carlo D’Andrea, National Vice President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and Chairman of the Board of the Shanghai Chapter, Founder and Managing Partner of D’Andrea & Partners Legal Counsel
