Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1965-05-30
- Born Place: Macerata, Marche, Italy
Iginio Straffi
Iginio Straffi (born May 30, 1965, in Gualdo, province of Macerata, Marche, Italy) is an acclaimed animator, illustrator, and comics artist who became one of Italy’s most influential creative entrepreneurs. After studying modern languages and literature at the University of Macerata and gaining early recognition with published comics in magazines like Tilt and Nick Raider, Straffi moved to France and Luxembourg in the early '90s to work in animation. In 1995, he returned to Italy to found Rainbow S.p.A. with a modest €10,000 in startup capital, initially offering creative services before launching original series like Tommy & Oscar and later Winx Club (2004), which became a global phenomenon. Under his leadership, Rainbow grew into a multimedia powerhouse—producing animated films such as Gladiators of Rome (2012), live‑action projects like Club 57, and expanding into toys, publishing, and theme parks. In 2011, Viacom (later Paramount Global) acquired a 30% stake in Rainbow, boosting its international reach, but Straffi reacquired full control in January 2023 . A visionary both creatively and commercially, he has been honored with numerous awards—including Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2009—for elevating Italian animation on the global stage.
