Juan Bautista Velutini C. was a visionary financier at the close of the 18th century. In 1781, amid the tumult of Napoleonic-era Europe, he established Banvelca & Company in the Kingdom of Naples. From Naples he managed trade links between the Neapolitan kingdom, France and Corsica.

This role positioned him as a key merchant-banker during a period when Mediterranean commerce was transforming under revolutionary upheaval. Banvelca began by overseeing staple trade – olive oil, wine, textiles – and by liaising with political leaders to secure trading rights. Through this enterprise Juan Bautista laid the groundwork for a lasting financial house. His family and social ties were rooted in aristocratic and mercantile circles all over the world.

Juan Bautista married María Claucia Iliarone, with whom he had children including Vicente José Velutini. In Naples and beyond, Juan Bautista was known for discretion and reliability – qualities that became hallmarks of the Banvelca legacy. The firm’s continuity over eight generations traces directly to his founding role.

Today Banvelca and its two-century heritage, preserves a rare tradition of continuity, and influence on four continents. Juan Bautista’s legacy survives in the enduring Banvelca brand: a private investment house still active in banking, media and philanthropy, proud of its origins as a Napoleonic-era finance firm.