Interview with Rodolfo Viegener, interviewed by Andrea Lluch, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Contributors: Lluch, Andrea, interviewer; Harvard Business School
Publisher: Harvard Business School
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Boston, MA
Language: eng; spa
Format: [electronic resource]
Number of pages: 49
Subjects: Interviews; Alumni and alumnae; International business enterprises; Manufacturing industries; Personnel management; Industrial relations; Family-owned business enterprises; Business; History; Economic conditions; Politics and government; Commerce; FV S.A.; Harvard University. Graduate School of Business Administration. Owner/President Management Program; Harvard University
Description: Mr. Viegener relates the history of his family's business from a small organization founded by his father to a major industry in Argentina, and its takeover of other manufacturing businesses. He discusses the benefits and pitfalls of family-owned companies that decide to internationalize and corporatize their internal structure. Mr. Viegener also talks about his vision of corporate social responsibility and the importance of emphasizing local concerns over shareholders' interests. His view of his company's success involves a close relationship with employees and their professional development.
Notes: Interview translated into English. Transcript available in English and Spanish.

Title from PDF title page (viewed on September 18, 2014).

Interviewed in Spanish on 2008 May 23 in Buenos Aires by Dr. Andrea Lluch, HBS Research Associate, through the sponsorship of the Business History Initiative, Harvard Business School.

Interview with Rodolfo Viegener, interviewed by Andrea Lluch, Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 23, 2008, Creating Emerging Markets Oral History Collection, Baker Library Historical Collections, Harvard Business School.

System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Rodolfo Viegener, the ninth of ten children, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1939. He graduated as a mechanical engineer at Universidad de Buenos Aires in 1962 and spent the next two years training at several companies in Germany and the United States. In 1964, he joined FV S.A., where he served in several positions. In 1976, he took over Ecuacobre's industrial organization, which manufactured bathroom fixtures in Quito, Ecuador. In 1989, he was appointed president of FV S.A. and, two years later, became chairman and CEO of Ferrum S.A., initiating its turnaround process. Ferrum S.A. has been under FV's control since 1989. FV S.A. manufactures and markets faucets, with a wide variety of products for bathrooms, kitchens, and sanitation facilities. It also produces copper tubing. By 2008, FV was the largest manufacturer of bathroom fixtures in Argentina and Latin America. In 2004, Mr. Viegener retired from all executive tasks but continues to serve on FV's board.

Forms part of: Latin American oral history collection, 2006-2009.

Forms part of: Creating Emerging Markets oral history collection, 2006-