“YOU CAN’T DIE FOR A DOLLAR”
The Revolution of Amadeo Peter Giannini

Curated by Francesco Cassese, Marco Castellaneta, Martino Marzegalli, Paolo Nardi, Simone Selva
In collaboration with students from Università Bocconi and the Università Cattolica di Milano

The exhibition traces the life events of Amadeo Peter Giannini (1870–1949), an Italian-American pioneer born to a family of Italian immigrants, who radically transformed the banking sector in the United States.
Founder of the Bank of Italy—which later became Bank of America—Giannini’s commitment was not only economic, but deeply social, rooted in a close observation of reality and human needs.
A wounded man whose approach was grounded in trust in people rather than material guarantees.
After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, he offered loans without requiring documents or collateral, risking everything to help small business owners and families rebuild their lives.
This inclusive and visionary approach, based on mutual trust, revolutionized the banking system and helped foster an entire generation of entrepreneurs and creatives, supporting groundbreaking projects.
For Giannini, each person’s desire for fulfillment was a good for everyone. Therefore, it was essential to invest and take risks so that everyone could be put in a position to express and develop their talents.
This vision generated growth and well-being for many.
The aim of the exhibition is to leave visitors with an inspiring message about the active role each individual can play in the economy and society, in line with the theme of the Meeting. It also seeks to raise questions that are often taken for granted or considered secondary—questions that are guiding the development of the exhibition itself: What lies at the origin of Giannini’s vision? What does his life say to today’s society? To the way we work? What can we still learn from him? What impact does trust have in today’s economy?