Legal and corporate affairs director | METINVEST TRAMETAL & FERRIERA VALSIDER – Italian rerollers of Metinvest Group
Group legal and corporate affairs manager | CAREL Industries
Legal director head of m&a and corporate transaction | MSC
Head of legal, corporate, regulatory and antitrust affairs | Enel Group
Head of legal, regulatory and compliance affairs | ENI Plenitude
Vice president corporate law and secretary of the board of directors | Recordati
Chief legal, corporate affairs, and compliance officer | Lavazza Group
Head of legal, compliance & corporate affairs | System Logistics
Legal director and regional compliance officer | Hilti Italia
It has been an honour and a privilege to research and produce this year’s edition of The Legal 500: GC Powerlist Italy. Each edition offers the opportunity to spotlight the exceptional calibre of in-house legal professionals in the country, and this year has been no exception. What made this experience especially rewarding was not only the depth of legal insight shared, but also the openness, curiosity, and strategic thinking demonstrated by the general counsel we interviewed. Their contributions elevated this publication and reaffirmed its relevance to Italy’s fast-evolving legal and business landscape.
This year, a number of key themes emerged — among them, the growing alignment between legal functions and broader business strategy, and the increasingly proactive role that general counsel are playing in responding to complex socioeconomic shifts.
Simone Davini LL.M., General Counsel Italy at Deutsche Bank, shared an important and sobering perspective on one of the most pressing macroeconomic challenges Italy faces today:
“Italy is facing a deep demographic crisis, being one of the countries with the lowest fertility rates in the world… The population has not grown naturally since 2006, and immigration has not offset the decline… These factors contribute to an aging population, raising serious concerns about the long-term sustainability of the social security and healthcare systems and about the labor market: in fact, the tax-payers population shrinks, while the demand for public health services and pensions grows; on top of that, the overall workforce goes down, tanking the internal rate of productivity and the global output of the Italian economic system.”
This kind of strategic, systems-level thinking highlights the evolving role of general counsel—not just as legal experts, but as business-critical advisors with a firm grasp on the wider context in which their companies operate.
Equally important in today’s corporate environment is a focus on culture and inclusion. Lodovico Bianchi Di Giulio, Group General Counsel – Head of Legal & Compliance at BIP Group, described his department’s approach to fostering equity and belonging:
“In BIP Group’s Legal & Compliance Department, diversity and inclusion are naturally embedded: two-thirds of our team members are women. We place strong emphasis on maintaining a healthy work-life balance, while also assigning each team member challenging objectives that promote both personal and professional growth… I dedicate significant time to listening to team members’ feedback, responding thoughtfully to their needs, and fostering a supportive and respectful working environment.”
These reflections are just two among many that demonstrate how Italy’s top in-house counsel are helping to reshape corporate priorities—balancing legal risk with long-term value, and guiding organisations through uncertainty with vision, empathy, and clarity.
Within this edition, you will find a wealth of insights across a range of topics, alongside detailed profiles of the talented legal leaders who make up the 2025 GC Powerlist: Italy. I would like to express my deepest thanks to everyone who took part. It is with great pride that I present this edition—celebrating the integrity, resilience, and leadership of Italy’s most outstanding in-house legal professionals.
Margherita Birri
Research Editor
Legal 500
On 4th August, Legal 500 returned to Bogotá for the launch of the GC Powerlist: Colombia 2026, in partnership with Baker McKenzie.
Guests arrived at Castanyoles Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina for an evening of celebration and networking with peers and colleagues.
Isabel Caine, editor – corporate counsel at Legal 500, kicked off the evening, touching on the increasingly integral role of the GC as a trusted partner and strategic decision maker within the business. Paying tribute to the nominees’ achievements, dedication and commitment over the past year, she reflected on the vital contributions in-house counsel make within their organisations and beyond.
Alejandro Mesa, managing partner at Baker McKenzie Colombia, then delivered a welcome address on behalf of the firm, congratulating those included in the Powerlist and recognising the invaluable partnership between in-house and external counsel.
This year’s Powerlisters were then invited to collect their certificates and have their official photographs taken. The evening continued with lively discussions and networking as attendees shared insights, ideas and experiences over drinks and canapés.
Legal 500 would like to congratulate everyone included in the 2026 edition of the GC Powerlist: Colombia and thank Baker McKenzie for their partnership in bringing this event to life.