MILAN - 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, energy major Eni and power grid operator Terna.
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
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 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 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 the feasibility of the then shelved South Stream gas pipeline project.
ENI
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
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)