Friday September 24th, 2004

Already head of Italy's employers' federation, Fiat and its sports car jewel Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo was touted on Tuesday as a future prime minister by the job's incumbent, Silvio Berlusconi.

"I say to Montezemolo that the job of premier is available for him in the future because the old men must have the grace to retire at the right moment," Berlusconi jested at a conference in the port town of Genoa.

Berlusconi, who has had a facelift and was recently said to have had a hair transplant, is 67.

Di Montezemolo, a charismatic manager with aristocratic lineage who took over as Fiat's chairman in May, is 10 years younger. Berlusconi asked di Montezemolo to be his industry minister in 2001, but was turned down in favour of Ferrari.

Published at 09:34:49 GMT

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