Italy 2024
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Head of legal Italy at BBVA - corporate and investment banking | Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) - Italian Branch
Legal affairs, external affairs and corporate communications director | Vodafone
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 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, 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
Head of legal – Italy, and antitrust compliance officer | DS Smith
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
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
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...
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 | 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 | 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,...
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...
General counsel | Aeroporto Guglielmo Marconi di Bologna
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 SeriesÂ
The 2025 edition of the GC Powerlist Colombia, held at the elegant Casa Medina in Bogotá, brought together some of the most influential general counsel and in-house legal leaders from across the country and region. The event highlighted how Colombian legal departments are evolving to meet the demands of an increasingly complex, tech-driven, and sustainability-conscious business environment. Key themes throughout the day included the strategic adoption of AI and legal tech, lean but agile team structures, shifting approaches to external counsel, and a strong commitment to ESG and inclusive leadership.
One of the most prominent discussion points was the integration of legal technology, particularly AI and large language models, into in-house legal work. Across companies like Uber, Unilever, Takeda, and GFT, there is strong momentum around the use of AI tools for contract lifecycle management—ranging from clause extraction and risk flagging to version control and automated drafting. However, rather than viewing AI as a replacement for legal professionals, most GCs described these technologies as strategic enablers that allow their teams to focus on higher-impact work. Laura Jaramillo Franco of Bayer provided one of the most detailed insights into how her team has deliberately structured their AI use. She emphasised that the value lies not in using AI for its own sake, but in tailoring each tool to specific use cases that align with legal risk standards and data protection policies. Tools such as Harvey, myGenAssist, Claude, Notebook, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Gamma are all part of Bayer’s ecosystem—each selected and implemented with clear purpose and governance.
Legal design was another emerging theme, with institutions like Scotiabank and Unilever investing in simplifying legal documents to make them more accessible to non-legal stakeholders. This is especially relevant in consumer-facing sectors where clear communication builds trust and mitigates risk. There is also growing interest in predictive analytics for litigation and compliance risk mapping, as legal departments seek more proactive ways to support business decisions.
Despite the growing influence of technology, staffing models remain lean. Most legal departments consist of teams ranging from three to nine professionals. However, size is no longer the defining factor of effectiveness. Instead, agility, business-embeddedness, and cross-functional collaboration are key. General counsel from companies such as Scotiabank, Cargill highlighted the increasing involvement of legal leaders in crisis management and business strategy, often working side by side with finance and communications teams. Upskilling, especially in technology and leadership, is an area of active investment, with Uber, for instance, noting formal programs aimed at equipping in-house lawyers for this evolving role.
The event also revealed a shift in the use of external counsel. In-house teams are now more confident in handling complex matters internally, including regulatory strategy, litigation, and M&A. Companies such as SierraCol and Bancolombia highlighted that while law firms remain essential, engagements are becoming more selective and strategic. The focus has moved from transactional work to long-term partnerships that add specialized value or support cross-border challenges.
Sustainability and ESG responsibilities continue to expand within legal departments. Legal leaders are increasingly central to ensuring compliance with ESG frameworks, advising on disclosures, and shaping product strategies aligned with social impact. Viviana Prada Rey of Grupo Cibest shared how her legal team plays a key role in advancing the company’s mission to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. From advising on sustainable finance initiatives to monitoring ESG-related regulatory developments in both Colombia and the United States, the legal function has become instrumental in driving long-term impact.
Another area of strong focus was crisis resilience. Legal teams are leading scenario planning and designing compliance playbooks, ensuring they are prepared for unexpected events. Leadership and inclusion also featured prominently. Companies are integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into their legal team strategies. Juliana Hoyos Flórez, General Counsel of SierraCol, discussed the company’s ALMA program (Academia de Liderazgo para Mujeres de Alto Impacto), which has empowered over 180 women across the company and community with leadership skills and is expected to reach 300 by 2026.
In conclusion, the GC Powerlist Colombia 2025 was a testament to the transformation of the legal profession in the region. Far from being reactive support functions, today’s legal departments are strategic, tech-savvy, socially conscious, and embedded at the heart of business decision-making. As demonstrated once again, Colombia’s in-house legal leaders are not just keeping pace with global trends—they are helping define them.
