Gian M. Fulgoni

Fulgoni was born and raised in Pontypool, South Wales, the son of Italian parents from Bardi, a town in Emilia-Romagna. He attended the University of Manchester, graduating with an honors degree in physics in 1969, followed by an M.A. in marketing in 1970 from Lancaster University Management School, at the time the only such program in the UK. In 2016, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Lancaster University in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of market research.

Early career

In 1970 after graduating from Lancaster University, Fulgoni moved from the UK to join Management Science Associates, Inc. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before moving a few years later to Chicago to head client services.

Information Resources, Inc.

From 1981 to 1998, he served as president, CEO, and Chairman of Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), a provider of UPC scanner data to the CPG industry. Under his leadership, IRI's revenues grew at 40% annually, reaching over $500 million, with a market value of $1.5 billion. In 1996, Advertising Age recognized IRI as the largest U.S. market research firm.

Technology and board roles

He was a board member of Platinum Technology, Inc. (1991–1999), during which it grew from $80 million to over $1 billion in revenue before being acquired by Computer Associates for $4 billion in 1999. He also served on the board of USRobotics, acquired by 3Com for $8 billion in 1997, and yesMail.com, acquired by CMGI for $700 million in 2000.

Fulgoni has lived in the United States since the 1970s, primarily in the Pittsburgh, Chicago and Florida areas. In 2018, his Chicago Gold Coast mansion, which had been used as a location for magazine fashion shoots, including for Playboy, was listed for $4.9 million.