How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?  

I consider myself and the whole legal function as an integral part of the business, so that there is no standalone legal strategy or purpose, and we all pursue the same ambitious goals as one team. In periods of instability and crises, and generally periods of change, I remain calm and look at the bigger picture to identify long term trends and brainstorm on potential innovative solutions. In my interactions with the business and the cross-functional team, I focus on providing as much clarity as possible, because clear, timely and well communicated legal advice is a powerful enabler for the team to take the right decisions fast. 

What are the main cases or transactions that you have been involved in recently?  

I have recently returned to Italy after an 18-month assignment at our parent company, Eli Lilly and Company, in Indianapolis. There, I worked as global brand attorney of a key product in our diabetes and obesity portfolio and another product in our pipeline. One of the main cases I advised and still advise on is related to the development of different presentations of the same product for different geographies and international commercial agreements with medical devices manufacturers for devices compatible with our products. 

More recently, back in Italy, I worked on the transition of a global compassionate use program into a national solution, simplifying the procedure and the documentation with the effect of reducing the average time to delivery, to help patients in life threatening conditions, that have no available therapeutic alternatives in Italy, to receive medicines faster. 

What do you see as the major legal challenges for businesses in Italy over the next five years, and how are you preparing to address them?  

In my view, major legal challenges in the next five years, across industries, will include the integration of AI in the business and the compliance with ESG regulations. Such matters, far from being mere challenges, also constitute opportunities to be, become and remain competitive and innovative, and require, among others, focusing on the education of the workforce, at all levels, and the potential introduction of changes in the organizational structure and jobs descriptions. Embracing such changes will require a cultural shift and Legal can facilitate and co-lead this transformation process, getting ahead of the curve by upskilling and stimulating discussions with the business regarding such topics. In our industry, the pharmaceutical one, key challenges will include access, especially for new medicines threating chronic diseases, the illegal markets of counterfeited medicines, especially online, and potentially the compliance with the new EU pharmaceutical legislation, once approved and effective.