I am honored to present The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Italy 2023, a celebration of the remarkable achievements and exceptional talents of Italy’s foremost general counsel. This edition acknowledges their resilience in navigating the post-pandemic landscape and their unwavering commitment to managing a fresh array of legal intricacies. These encompass evolving legal requirements, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and the advent of transformative technologies poised to reshape the landscape for in-house legal leaders.

Liuma Alessia Casaccia, the head of the legal department at HP Italy, sums up the prevailing sentiment: ‘Given the wide range of legal complexities, as well as sustainability, geopolitical, and environmental concerns, the role of the general counsel will become more and more pivotal and multidisciplinary. This figure will need to increase not only their hard skills but also their ability to encompass and apply a helicopter view of both the business and the social needs to help the C-level to meet their relevant stakeholders’ expectations. It means that the general counsel has to become more and more strategic, fostering and amplifying their influence in the decision-making processes of their companies. This would also imply getting acquainted with the new AI tools that will be increasingly relevant in this hybrid lifestyle’. It has, therefore, become imperative for Italian-based general counsel to remain abreast of technological advancements and adeptly harness them to forge closer ties with their business partners, thereby driving their companies’ growth.

In a time marked by heightened environmental consciousness, the imperative of incorporating sustainable practices into one’s actions has assumed paramount importance. General counsel are no exception; The GC Powerlist Italy 2023 offers invaluable insights into their endeavors to champion and embed sustainability within the operations of the companies and industries they serve. Beyond championing various green initiatives, general counsel are deeply engaged in leveraging their roles to ensure the adherence to ESG initiatives and corporate social responsibility standards. Giovanna Napolitano, group general counsel at Kimbo, articulates: ‘I believe that embracing corporate social responsibility and sustainability is not just about ticking boxes or meeting regulatory requirements; it’s about making a genuine and lasting positive impact on the world around us. As the general counsel, I will actively advocate for and support initiatives that align with these principles and meet sustainable development goals, ensuring that our company not only thrives financially but also remains a responsible and conscious member of society’.

In the wake of a surge in M&A transactions within the country, we inquire dabout the pivotal role played by legal teams in facilitating these transactions. According to Andrea Navarra, general counsel at ERG, the legal team assumes a pivotal role from inception to culmination: ‘The legal department is a key-contributor to the success of any M&A transaction. This goes from the initial assessment of the deal structure to the analysis of the most important issues arising from due diligence until the complete negotiation of all contractual arrangements related to the transaction’.

Within the pages of this publication there is so much more to be read and learnt, as our powerlisters upack their career journey and the challenges they faced to arrive to their positions today.

On behalf of The Legal 500, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all those who generously shared their time and insights during the research process. Congratulations to all those featured in the 2023 edition, a testament to the top general counsel in Italy.

Sara Maggi| Deputy Editor The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Series 

We are delighted to join The Legal 500 in recognizing Italy’s top general counsel. We are proud to present, for the very first time, the GC Powerlist event in Milan to highlight and to celebrate the work that our colleagues at the leading national and multinational corporations do to navigate and manage the legal needs of their sectors and businesses.

Who We Are

Deloitte Legal Italy has about 300 professionals, 9 offices in Milan, Rome, Padua, Turin, Bologna, Genoa, Florence, Bari, Catania and one office in Pescara. We assist clients in all areas of law, with a full-service approach and full integration with the entire international Deloitte network. Our lawyers specialize in the Consumer & Industrial Products, Financial Services, Energy & Resources, Real Estate & Construction, Public, Technology, Media & Telecommunications, and Life Sciences & Health Care industries.

Supporting clients pragmatically and effectively, adding business knowledge and process and technological innovation to legal excellence. These are the prerequisites with which Deloitte Legal operates when assisting its clients, both in the context of extraordinary transactions and in the streamlining of the activities of in-house legal departments.

General Counsels (GCs) are tasked with the mission of contributing value to their organizations. This includes improving business outcomes, navigating risk, modernizing operations for the digital age, fostering growth, all while remaining responsive to evolving regulatory landscapes and the ever-present legal demands of the business. In this evolving landscape, GCs require a reliable partner to assist them in meeting these expanding expectations, and we proudly serve as that indispensable ally.

To assist GCs in enhancing their growth, influence, and effectiveness in executive interactions, specialized Chief Legal Officer (CLO) executive programs have been developed.

Our Sustainable Law Firm

In order to foster the development of a legal profession that addresses the present and future needs of professionals, clients, and all citizens, while contributing to a sustainable and inclusive society, Deloitte Legal has authored and adopted the Sustainable Law Firm Manifesto in alignment with the main Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030.

Regarding the commitment to promoting a culture that respects differences and knows how to value them, Deloitte Legal participates in Deloitte’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion programs and events, and through GLOBE, it is an active part of a community of allies within the Deloitte network that promotes LGBTQ+ inclusion.

On the other hand, as far as commitment to the environment is concerned, Deloitte Legal participates in the WorldClimate Deloitte project, which reflects Deloitte’s strategy to promote responsible choices that minimize the impact on the changing climate, both within and outside the organization.

Furthermore, the transformation of Deloitte Legal into a benefit company is part of a broader path that involves multiple activities aimed at giving concrete form to the principles and values already stated in the Manifesto of the Sustainable Law Firm. This intent has also been expressed by Deloitte Legal in its

contribution to the process of transforming numerous companies within Deloitte Italy into benefit companies.