Career Biography

Filippo Maria Andreani joined Manuli Ryco Group, a multinational corporation operating a global network of innovation centers, production plants and service facilities for hydraulic solutions on all continents, as Group General Counsel at the beginning of 2025 in charge of all legal issues, compliance, international corporate affairs (covering more than 70 entities located in 40 different countries) as well as of all the IP activities of the Group. During the last 12 months he managed and closed many M&A transactions across the globe like a joint venture in India to develop a new plant fully dedicated to the manufacturing of industrial hoses, a strategic acquisition in Australia to complete the geographical coverage of the Group in such region, a joint venture in Vietnam to enter such market with focus on oil&gas and mining industries, several acquisitions in UK to strengthen the presence of the brand Fluiconnecto in providing services across UK.

Prior to this role he served as Head of Legal M&A and Head of Contracting & Corporate Procurement of Pirelli Group, the Italian tiremaker and one of Europe’s best-known industrial brands, being involved in the group’s global restructuring, from the delisting in 2015, through the subsequent relisting on the Milan Stock Exchange in 2017, to the reshape of the new listed pure consumer group.

Before moving in-house, he spent almost 12 years in private practice working as a lawyer for international law firms, among which from 2008 and 2015, Chiomenti Studio Legale being involved in many strategic transactions across several industries.

Admitted to the practice in Italian Courts from 2005, Filippo is a business-focused manager with over 20 years of experience across many industries, with a particular attitude also on technology, sealed by executive programs at MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Boston) Sloan School of Management.

What are the most significant cases, projects, or transactions that you and your legal team have recently been involved in?

Looking back, I think that what could stand out is not a particular deal or dispute, but the variety and complexity of issues my team has had to handle across a diversified portfolio of businesses. In general terms, a significant part of our work is devoted to alternative investments and extraordinary transactions, including acquisitions, co-investments and disposals of companies, businesses, and real estate assets. Recently, many of these matters have had an international dimension, with a particular focus on Asia and North America. At the same time, we have supported a number of our portfolio companies in strategic commercial deals, disputes, as well as in the implementation of compliance initiatives covering various areas such as antitrust, consumer protection and ESG, including environmental and social claims in preparation for the implementation of the EU Empowering Consumers Directive.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

An organisation’s resilience depends largely on the preparation that has been done beforehand. For me, the role of legal is not only to react effectively when issues arise, but also to help the business anticipate them, understand their potential impact and be ready to respond when needed. That means identifying major emerging risks as early as possible, including those arising from legal and regulatory developments, and making sure that clear processes are in place before they are needed so that people know what to do. When a crisis occurs, people look for clear and practical guidance; more than ever, the role of legal is to help the organisation make informed decisions and navigate uncertainty with confidence.

General counsel often speak of the need to be strategic to reach the pinnacle of the profession. What does being strategic mean to you?

For me, being strategic means making sure legal is – and is recognised as – an asset rather than a liability, by understanding what the business wants to achieve and helping make it happen while managing risk effectively. It is about being perceived as a problem solver rather than a bottleneck. This is particularly true in a transactional environment like the one I work in every day.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

Being an in-house counsel today is no simple job. The most important attribute is to become a trusted partner who really supports decision-making rather than slowing it down. Getting there is a complex and ongoing process. First, a solid understanding of the company’s business and organisation is essential, together with the ability to speak the same language as management (the opposite is, of course, not an option). Second, versatility is key, which means being something of a legal generalist but with the ability to go very deep where needed. Third, continuous learning is indispensable; experience alone is not enough in a fast-changing regulatory and technological environment, so having a genuine interest in learning new things every day is crucial. Fourth, being an informed risk taker is essential; this means identifying and dealing with risks proactively and helping the business take the right ones. Finally, in doing all the above, it is critical to maintain strong judgement, leadership, gravitas, diplomacy, integrity, and the ability to work well with others. As I said, it is no simple job.