Can you foresee any key developments to the way general counsel work over the next five years?  

The figure of the general counsel in industrial realities like ours will increasingly be aimed at business. I believe that in the coming years the figure of the legal counsel will develop in this regard. A professional with a strong legal background that must necessarily have a finance and commercial imprinting with a transversal approach to all business units. 

What are some of the main trends impacting the industry sector you work in in Italy?  

In our industry, a trend you must interface with is certainly the volatility of raw material prices. In our case, for example, the price of raw materials such as chocolate, hazelnuts, almonds are constantly subject to (almost) unpredictable variations in very short periods of time. This trend has disruptive impacts on the business and consequently on the legal issues connected to the ordinary course of business. 

How do you stay updated on the evolving regulatory landscape in Italy and ensure compliance with domestic laws, EU regulations, and industry-specific regulations?  

Chocolate is a strong regulated market. My team and I are used to have monthly updates on the specific regulations affecting our industry and to share potential new regulations. 

What is a cause, business-related or otherwise, you are passionate about, and why?  

In April 2023, we won an important lawsuit (and a very interesting intellectual property case) in front of the Court of Rome promoted by Pernigotti against a competitor accused of having copied the graphic design and the packaging of one of the company’s flagship products: Pepitas-branded chocolate.