Member Interview with Maurizio Fabbrini

We are delighted to bring you a Member Interview with Maurizio Fabbrini, Head of Growth, Altavia Group

What’s your golden rule?

Marketing must drive measurable impact.
If it doesn’t move behaviour, revenue, or perception in a meaningful way, it’s decoration.
My golden rule is simple: creativity earns its place when it delivers business results.

Who has been your biggest influence?

My biggest influence has been leaders who combine commercial discipline with creative courage.
Early in my career, I worked with people who were obsessed with numbers but deeply respectful of ideas. That balance shaped me. I learned that we don't grow just by chasing opportunities, but by having a proper structure and a precise execution. 
Today, I try to bring that same balance across multiple services for our clients, be it retail design, marketing execution or performance marketing.

What is your most hated business expression?

“Let’s just make it look nice.”

For me, services like design and marketing do not equate to cosmetic touch-ups. They are strategic tools. When we/clients reduce them to aesthetics, we miss the opportunity to influence behaviour, increase basket size, improve flow, or strengthen brand positioning.
In my world, nice is not a KPI.

What’s the smartest business idea you’ve ever had?

 think I can count when I helped positioning the retail design agency I work for not just as simple interior designers, but as retail growth consultants.
By integrating retail consulting to spatial design under one umbrella, we "upgraded" to strategic partners for many of our clients. That shift opened larger conversations with government entities, developers and major retailers across the GCC.
Redefining the agency's role in the value chain was perhaps my biggest achievement. 

Which leader do you admire most and why?

I find the most inspiring leaders are those who create platforms for others to grow, collaborate and elevate the industry. I admire leaders who build ecosystems, not empires. I think in the GCC we are in a very lucky situation where we can witness visionary leadership top down, enabling interconnected systems amongst retail, culture, entertainment and urban development. 

What is on your mind the most right now as a marketing leader?

I am a strong believer that marketing should not and cannot be an afterthought. One cannot expect business growth without being having a proper strategy, being out there. Marketing needs to have a seat at the strategic table. From large scale developments to retail transformations, marketing should not be considered as something independent, nor an add-on. Marketing influences the master plan (from macro to micro), the customer journey (from micro to macro), the commercial models, the way people interact, engage, convert, return. 

Why is being part of The Marketing Society important for your career?

I work across multiple sectors, from retail and F&B, to travel retail and mixed-use developments in the GCC. I believe the Marketing Society would allow me to connect, interact and exchange perspectives with industry leaders, challenge my thinking and contribute to conversations shaping the region. 

Why does marketing matter to you?

Marketing sits at the intersection of human behaviour, science and business. When it's done properly, it drives commercial success. It influences how how cities feel, how brands live, how people interact with spaces. I enjoy this intersection and being somehow part of it. 

Tell us something that’s not on your CV

I competed in swimming at professional level in Italy when I was younger. Swimming taught me discipline, resilience, and the ability to perform under extreme pressure. When I look at business development or long RFP cycles, stamina is strongly required. You prepare, you execute, you adjust, and you keep going. This is a mindset that still drives me.