About

After a period working in private practice for different law firms in Milan and London, Massimo Mantovani joined the legal department of the flagship Italian energy corporation Eni in 1993. After working through the ranks he was appointed head of gas and power activities at the group in 2000, then in 2005 named general counsel of the entire Eni group. Assuming the responsibility for the regulatory area in 2014, Mantovani currently oversees over 300 employees operating across several jurisdictions around the world. Constantly evolving with the company and the economic environment, Mantovani has overseen numerous changes within Eni’s legal department, including a complete restructure that culminated in a centralised department that provides legal and regulatory assistance to all Eni subsidiaries in Italy and abroad. Playing a ‘leading role’ in key business transaction negotiations, Mantovani has also been instrumental in setting up the company compliance system and restructuring gas activities of the business. Enjoying ‘reciprocal trust and reputation’ with his CEO, Mantovani says this was achieved by proving himself as a ‘problem solver’ and being able to anticipate problems and suggest strategic opportunities. Mantovani measures the value he adds to the business by looking at how many key legal people participate to strategic discussions as managers with a legal background rather than as lawyers. Mantovani’s innovation and track record have not gone unnoticed in the wider industry either. He has gained international recognition for his excellence through media such as the Financial Times. Always leading from the front on matters central to the industry, Mantovani is a member of the ICC Paris Anti-Corruption Committee and a member of the B20 Anti-Corruption Working Group. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of Università degli Studi di Bologna and a non-executive director of Snam, a former subsidiary of Eni. Massimo continues to add knowledge by collaborating with different universities in Italy teaching compliance at postgraduate courses, and has written extensively on compliance issues.