Tirelli & Partners: ‘Being Happy is a Priority, and Ethics Can’t Be Limited to a Code of Practice’

Italian real estate firm challenges traditional profit generation — and stands up for wellbeing.

Tirelli & Partners. Michael E Tirelli, principal, on right

Tirelli & Partners is a top luxury real estate firm — and a cutting-edge real estate consultant.

It was established in 1987 as a boutique agency to provide personalised service to sellers, buyers, owners and tenants of luxury properties both in Italy and abroad.

The idea was to provide the sector with the same level of expertise and professionalism that clients receive in other spheres of business.

The company is now a leading brand and stands out for the quality and dedication it brings to its services — residential or commercial.

While still highly active in the luxury residential property market — which includes publishing Italy´s only in-depth analytical report of the sector every six months since 2003 — Tirelli has expanded its operations to include the following services — office, retail, hospitality and logistics:

• Transactional consultancy (purchasing, sales, lease-back and rental)
• Real estate consultancy (investment analysis, Highest and Best use assessments, feasibility studies)
• Technical consultancy (due diligence, project management, contract and closing assistance)
• Evaluations and surveys (any asset class, real estate portfolios and real estate credits)
• Information and research

The company serves high-net-worth individuals in their investments and divestments, as well as leading national and foreign investors in their decision-making processes.

“We are convinced that the ethics of each professional activity cannot be limited to the code of practice,” says principal Marco E Tirelli, “but must include the professional rapport with the client and the civil society.”

“In each profession, an interpersonal dimension is implied that goes beyond the code of practice. This is what Tirelli strives to achieve through projects that view business in a broader perspective.”

In November 2019, the company converted into a benefit corporation. A month later, Tirelli & Partners became the first real estate company in Italy to obtain the B Corp® certification. (B Corp is a global movement counting more than 3,200 businesses in over 150 industries and 70 countries.)

Instead of solely distributing dividends to shareholders, benefit corporations use their business as a positive force for change in society. These companies look beyond mere profit and redefine their business priorities, choosing to focus on individual social cohesion and the regeneration of natural environments.

“For us, being happy is a priority,” says Marco E Tirelli. “The first line of the charter states it clearly: ‘Our ultimate aim is the pursuit of wellbeing and happiness of all the people who make up Tirelli & Partners, thereby creating a shared economic prosperity’.”

The articles of association include a rule that limits the wage gap between the highest and lowest employees in the company to seven times.

“If we want the world to remain a welcoming place for all, we must ensure that businesses become a positive source of change, redefining the priorities that guide our actions.”

“At first sight, we just look like real estate experts. Actually, our job is to preserve and grow personal relationships. We look beyond profit to have a positive impact on people’s lives.”