Team size: Four 

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?  

I have always encouraged all of the resources from the legal team to work as closely as possible with the colleagues of the other business units (mostly engineers and financial experts) as well as to participate in business trips as much as possible. Gaining knowledge on how an asset works from a technical point of view, having the chance of experiencing a view directly on-site, understanding which are the financial drivers of the business, and experiencing first hand which can be the complexities and the critical issues of a specific matter are an incredible help to the legal team members to understanding why our role is so important and how we can be a business driver more than a service. This contamination with different professional skills increases the level of communication between the legal team and the other functions. So, by investing some relatively small financial resources in travel expenses, everybody feels happier, and more involved in the overall business. The results of the legal work have been extremely encouraging to continue with this approach.   

How would you assess the impact of new technologies on the legal landscape in Italy, and what measures would you propose to leverage these technologies while ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations?  

I believe that new technologies, including artificial intelligence, will have a great impact on the legal landscape, for example, to have basic drafts of legal documentation. This will have an impact on all of the legal industry. However, the complexity of the Italian legal system will probably always require human experts to review any kind of document before it is signed or submitted to any authority or counterparty. I would propose starting to understand the basics of how the most relevant new technology works in order to make sure we fully understand the legal implications. I am sure that technology offers important opportunities but also, I would like to be very cautious in understanding the legal implications. Also, I believe the use of software for archiving and managing legal documentation shall become more and more spread also for corporate body meetings, and minutes. This is especially crucial in Italy, where we are behind in the use of the more basic technological tools. 

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

I am very passionate about building a working environment that is as friendly and balanced as possible. I believe that the financial industry and investment firms in general have a tendency to form great professionals, but at a very high cost in terms of personal life. ESG criteria also gives a great relevance to social and sustainability issues, which is something deeply linked to attitudes. I believe a great effort from the whole business community is needed to ensure the achievement of the best professional and economic results with the highest impact on the wellbeing of the people and the planet. All investors are becoming more and more demanding about these aspects, but it all requires a great collective effort.