Factbox: Italy's govt nominees for top jobs at Enel, Eni, Terna

Rothschild & Co SCA

17/04/2023 13:06

MILAN, April 17 (Reuters) - The Italian government,
which controls the country's biggest energy groups via the
Treasury and state lender CDP, last week proposed new
appointments for the top jobs at utility Enel  ENEI.MI , energy
major Eni  ENI.MI  and power grid operator Terna  TRN.MI .
    The intense horse trading inside the government over the
nominations has raised concerns among foreign investors,
prompting hedge fund Covalis Capital to challenge Rome's choices
on Monday with an alternative list for the board of Enel. 
    Here are the new managers proposed by the Treasury and their
previous expertise. Their appointments will need to be approved
by investors at meetings scheduled for May 9 for Terna, and May
10 for both Enel and Eni.
        
    ENEL  ENEI.MI 
    Flavio Cattaneo, 59, is an experienced manager and
entrepreneur who will leave his role as vice president of
high-speed train operator Italo to succeed current Enel CEO
Francesco Starace. 
    He has led some big Italian companies including phone group
Telecom Italia  TLIT.MI  between 2016 and 2017. He also served
as director general at Italian state-owned broadcaster RAI
between 2003 and 2005. 
    In the energy sector he was CEO of Italy's power grid group
Terna from 2005 until 2014, when he developed and then sold Rete
Rinnovabile, one of Italy's first solar power operators. 

    Paolo Scaroni, 76, is currently chairman of AC Milan soccer
club and deputy chairman of Rothschild & Co. Group in Italy. 
    Becoming Enel chairman would be for him a return to the
utility where he served as CEO between 2002 and 2005.
    His early experience includes more than 10 years in various
roles at French construction material group Saint Gobain
 SGOB.PA  and several years at British glass producer
Pilkington.
    Scaroni also served as chief executive of energy group Eni
between 2005 and 2014. In this high profile role he met Russian
President Vladimir Putin several times and discussed with
Gazprom  GAZP.MM  the feasibility of the then shelved South
Stream gas pipeline project.
    
    ENI  ENI.MI 
    The Treasury proposed CEO Claudio Descalzi for a fourth term
and picked Giuseppe Zafarana, 59, as chairman for the energy
group. Zafarana has been the Commander General of Italy's tax
police since 2019.
    
    TERNA  TRN.MI 
    Italy's state lender CDP has proposed Giuseppina Di Foggia,
53, as the new CEO of the power grid operator.
    Di Foggia, who will be the first woman to lead a major
state-run company in Italy, is currently CEO of Nokia Italia.
    She is also a board member of Rome's private economics
university Luiss Business School.  
    Igor De Biasio, aged 45 and currently CEO of real estate
development company Arexpo, has been picked to become Terna's
chairman.   

 (Reporting by Francesca Landini
Editing by Keith Weir)
 ((francesca.landini@thomsonreuters.com; +39 02 66129437;
Reuters Messaging: reutersitaly.thomsonreuters@reuters.net))