Italy's Ministry of Economy and Finance has announced proposed changes to the top management at Enel SpA, a partly state-owned utility group, including the replacement of CEO Francesco Starace with Flavio Cattaneo. Cattaneo currently serves as executive vice-president of high-speed rail operator Italo – Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori SpA.
Starace has been the CEO of Enel for three terms since May 2014, and Paolo Scaroni, who was the CEO of Enel in 2002-2005, is set to come back as chairman. The ministry of economy and finance owns a 23.59% stake in the utility.
In addition to Enel, the ministry also announced new leadership for defence company Leonardo SpA and Italy's postal service Poste Italiane SpA. However, Claudio Descalzi will remain the CEO of oil-and-gas group Eni SpA.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that the appointments were “the result of a careful process of evaluating skills and not affiliations”.
Cattaneo's impressive career includes top posts at Telecom Italia SpA, transmission grid operator Terna SpA, and energy company A2A. The proposed changes in management reflect the ministry's efforts to bring in new leadership and revamp state-owned companies.
