Head of legal Italy at BBVA - corporate and investment banking | Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) - Italian Branch
General counsel | Gucci
Antonella Centra is executive vice president general counsel, corporate affairs and sustainability at Gucci. During a career spanning more than 25 years, she practiced law as a transformational tool to...
Legal affairs, external affairs and corporate communications director | Vodafone
Associate group general counsel, global legal head for resources and services industry and group head of litigation and dispute resolution | Atos
General counsel | Generali Italia
Cristina Rustignoli graduated in law with honours at the University of Trieste and passed the Italian Bar exam. In her professional career she has gained extensive and consolidated experience in...
Director of Corporate Affairs and Major Transactions | Wind Tre
General counsel and company secretary | Dolce & Gabbana
Fabrizio Caretta is an Italian lawyer, graduated at the University of Turin and admitted at the Bar in Turin in 1996. In 1995, he joined Fila Group, one on the...
General counsel and head of legal and compliance | Italiaonline
Head of legal affairs and commercial negotiations, legal assistance, finance, M&A and strategic partnerships | Eni
Human Resources&Legal and Corporate Affairs Director | Kuwait Petroleum Italia
General counsel | Enel
Francesco Puntillo was appointed head of legal, corporate, regulatory and antitrust affairs of Enel group in June 2023. An expert in corporate law, he has extensive experience in corporate acquisitions,...
Head of Legal and Compliance Italy | Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty
General counsel, chief compliance officer and head of corporate governance | Iveco Group
President region North America, ESG director and general counsel | Interpump Group
General counsel, head of legal and compliance | Schindler
General counsel | illimity Bank
Giovanni began his career at Deloitte & Touche, before kicking off his legal career at Gianni Origoni Grippo & Partners and then helping found Studio LMS in 2006. In 2013,...
Head of legal – Italy, and antitrust compliance officer | DS Smith
Legal director Italy and Greece, and ethics and compliance officer Italy and Greece | Saint-Gobain
Gloria Bertini is a lawyer with extensive experience in the legal and compliance sectors. She is currently the Legal & Compliance Director for Italy and Greece at Saint-Gobain, where she...
Legal director | Prada Group
Luca is a lawyer and senior executive with over 20 years of experience managing legal and corporate affairs departments of multinational groups listed on the stock exchange, operating in the...
Global general counsel | GE Offshore Wind
Massimo Sanvito is currently the Global General Counsel for GE Offshore Wind where he holds full responsibility for Legal operations and strategy on a global scale. After working in Milan...
Chief legal officer | Pirelli
Nicola Verdicchio joined Pirelli Group, the Italian tiremaker and one of Europe’s best-known industrial brands, as chief legal officer in January 2014 in charge of all legal issues, international corporate...
Head of corporate and legal; secretary of the board of directors | Prelios SGR
Head of legal | DeA Capital Real Estate
Roberto Schiavelli is the general counsel and board secretary of DeA Capital Real Estate, the asset management company leader in Italy, specialised in real estate mutual funds. He is the...
General counsel, secretary of the board | Infrastrutture Wireless Italiane
General counsel | Aeroporto Guglielmo Marconi di Bologna
Group general counsel and chief compliance officer | Pillarstone
Head of legal and corporate affairs | Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank - Italy
Chief legal and corporate affairs officer – board secretary | Brembo
Director of legal services contracting | Accenture
It has been an honour and privilege to research and work on this year’s edition of The Legal 500: GC Powerlist Italy. This experience has been incredibly rewarding, not only because I have had the opportunity to engage with some of the most talented and impressive in-house counsel in Italy, but also because of the enthusiasm and level of engagement these professionals have brought to the project. Their involvement has truly elevated this edition, making it one of the most popular GC Powerlists of the year.
The in-house lawyers featured in this edition have played pivotal roles in driving the success of their companies through significant transactions, negotiations, and cases that extend far beyond Italy’s borders. What sets these legal professionals apart is their ability to seamlessly integrate legal expertise with business acumen. They demonstrate not only legal knowledge and outstanding talent, but also a commitment to teamwork, innovation, risk management, and a deep understanding of business strategy.
One of the key themes that emerged from this year’s research is the focus on resilience and crisis management. Many in-house counsel highlighted the importance of aligning the legal function with other departments, particularly senior management, to navigate challenges effectively. As Daniele Santoro, General Counsel Italy at ArcelorMittal Italy Holding, put it: “Anticipating instability and crisis factors is key. As general counsel it is key to have constant contact with management and use legal reflexes to enrich the discussion and anticipate legal issues identifying the main area of risks. A risk management approach is the driver. Be aligned with business objectives and with a positive approach aimed at finding solutions mitigating risks.“
Another significant trend revealed through this research is the anticipation of further legislative and regulatory shifts that will impact Italian businesses. Andrea Megale, Head of Legal Italy at BBVA, shared his insights on these evolving challenges: ” Over the next five years, businesses in Italy will face significant legal challenges primarily due to the evolving regulatory landscape. Key areas of concern include data privacy, cybersecurity, and fintech regulations. To effectively address these challenges, our team is committed to closely monitoring legislative developments at both the national and EU levels. We are at the same proactively enhancing our compliance frameworks to ensure they are robust and adaptive to new regulations. A heightened focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria presents another significant challenge for businesses. Companies must adhere to stringent ESG standards, encompassing environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and ethical governance.“
In this publication, you will find a wealth of insights—ranging from legal technology to performance measurement—alongside detailed biographies of the remarkable in-house counsel who make up this year’s Powerlist.
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to every in-house lawyer who participated in this edition of the GC Powerlist: Italy. It is with great pride that I present this collection of Italy’s most innovative, dedicated, and brilliant in-house legal professionals.
Sara Maggi| Deputy Editor – The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Series
On Tuesday, September 24th, 2024, The Legal 500 hosted the Diversity and Inclusion Forum Switzerland 2024 in Zürich, in partnership with Schellenberg Wittmer.
The agenda included two engaging sessions focused on diversity and inclusion strategies and the transformative impact of age and background in shaping the legal teams of the future. The event fostered an informal atmosphere and encouraged active participation, allowing attendees to share their insights and questions, which enriched the discussions.
Sara Maggi, The Legal 500’s editorial lead for the Forum, kicked off the event with a welcome address, followed by Philippe Bärtsch, managing partner at Schellenberg Wittmer, who set the right tone for the day’s proceedings.
The first session, titled “unlocking talent and innovation through diversity and inclusion: strategies and best practices in legal departments”, was moderated by Anya George, partner at Schellenberg Wittmer. Speakers included: Markus Lang, general counsel, Europe West, at EY; Valérie Collaudin, general counsel and head of sustainability, at Gurit; Aziz Aidaros, vice president and associate general counsel, Europe, at Philip Morris International; and Nina Cronstedt, group chief legal and compliance officer, at Verisure. This session provided a platform for sharing innovative strategies and best practices that promote diversity and inclusion, drawing on real-world examples that have successfully positioned legal teams for future success.
The second session, “bridging generations and cultures: the power of age and background in legal teams of the future”, was moderated by George Ayoub, partner at Schellenberg Wittmer who was joined by Cornelis (Kees) Van Ophem, executive vice president and global general counsel, at Fresenius Medical Care; Sarah Chevalley, associate general counsel, at Lonza; Cyrill Bachmann, general counsel and secretary to the board of directors, at AMEOS Gruppe; and Marcella De Luca, senior counsel, at Deutsche Bank. The panel discussed how diverse perspectives—including gender, upbringing, culture, and age—enhance collaboration within legal departments, highlighting the value of these differences in creating effective teams.
Following the insightful sessions, attendees enjoyed a reception of drinks and canapés, providing an excellent opportunity for networking and further discussion. The Legal 500 was delighted to collaborate with Schellenberg Wittmer once again to bring this successful event to life and looks forward to returning to Switzerland soon.
