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?

Our legal team is deeply aligned with the Company’s core values, which enables us to operate not just as legal advisors, but as trusted business partners. We maintain an ongoing and open dialogue—both within the legal function and with internal and external stakeholders—which is crucial during times of uncertainty.

We adopt a proactive, solutions-oriented approach when facing business challenges, always aiming to support the company’s long-term resilience. We work closely with shareholders and business leaders to anticipate potential risks and identify legal strategies that are both compliant and adaptable. A key part of our role is also to monitor regulatory developments and help the organisation stay ready to implement new legal requirements, ensuring compliance while enabling business agility.

By embedding legal thinking early in the decision-making process, we contribute to maintaining business continuity and safeguarding the organisation’s broader strategic objectives.

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

Recently, we have been involved in various strategic projects that reflect the international expansion and transformation of the Company:

1. Tender offer (OPA) for IVS Group – 2024

Our team managed a voluntary tender offer aimed at increasing our stake in IVS Group, one of Europe’s leading vending operators, with an option agreement to possibly acquire full control by 2027. The transaction, launched in April 2024, involved complex negotiations with key shareholders, regulatory coordination, and preparations for a potential delisting. The legal department was involved in every phase—from due diligence and contractual structuring to the management of shareholder agreements.

2. Integrated Compliance Project – 2024

This project involved an extensive analysis of regulatory frameworks potentially impacting the Lavazza Group, an assessment of the maturity level of internal compliance processes, and the identification of suitable measures to achieve an elevated maturity level in our compliance processes. It represented a critical milestone in reinforcing our risk management practices and adapting effectively to evolving regulatory standards.

3. Acquisition of MaxiCoffee – 2023

In France, we completed the acquisition of MaxiCoffee, a leading online coffee retailer and operator of a multi-channel platform, in early 2023. This project was key to strengthening our direct-to-consumer and digital capabilities in one of Europe’s most strategic markets. The legal team oversaw the transaction structure, supported cross-functional due diligence, and ensured post-deal integration was fully compliant with local and EU requirements.

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments?

I believe that generative AI for contract drafting, and legal analytics tools will have the greatest impact on the legal profession in the coming years. These technologies are already transforming the way legal departments operate—improving efficiency, reducing risk, and allowing lawyers to focus on higher-value strategic work.

To stay updated, I actively engage with legal tech providers, attend industry events, and regularly follow thought leadership pieces and legal innovation publications. This helps us anticipate trends and understand how other companies are integrating new technologies into their workflows.

Within our legal department, we have already taken concrete steps in this direction. We’ve implemented contract lifecycle management tools and fully digitised our intellectual property portfolio. We also maintain structured and regularly updated legal databases and have introduced digital workflows to support corporate governance and the company secretarial legal team.