They have changed 10 general managers at the Ministry of Economic Development: 10 out of 15 positions overall. The number is not accidental given that 10 were those expiring while the other 5, held by executives with five-year contracts that have not yet expired, have remained unchanged. In the short term, the top management of important state-owned companies will also have to change or be confirmed: Fincantieri, Snam, Italgas, Ansaldo Energia, Sace-Simest, to name only the most important. And the scent of appointments unleashes appetites, as we have seen in past legislatures and this is no exception.
In the first case, that of the general managers, the motivation for the rotation of top executives was explained by Luigi Di Maio as follows:
“There are very valid managers at the Mise, so I don't want to generalize, but some fresh air will finally arrive after decades in which nothing or almost nothing has ever changed. It's time to remove the encrustations that have accumulated over the years - he explained - The Mise takes the first step, but our goal is to make a small revolution in all Ministries and more generally in the entire Public Administration. More efficiency, more savings. One no longer lives on income and acquired positions. Now if you want to go ahead you have to demonstrate that you deserve it and that you know how to do your job well, even within public structures”.
But is it really so? The principle of a rotation is not only legitimate, but also acceptable. It becomes less so when you check how the operation is presented and above all how it is performed. So much so that, in the belly of the ministry, the first line of leaders seems to have split in two: those who react, leave or prepare to leave. And those who try to resist.
APPOINTMENTS OF DIRECTORS, BUT THE SKILLS?
Here are the new assignments arranged (this is the term used by Di Maio in the press release) by the minister: Pietro Celli supervising entities, coops and commissioner managements, Charles Sappino to local activities, Loredana Gulino to international trade policy, Amedeo Teti the fight against counterfeiting, trademarks and patents, Sarah Romano to energy infrastructures, Emilia Masiello to mining and hydrocarbon activities, Gilberto Dialuce to the electricity market, Laura Aria to business incentives. More news is on the way.
Looking at the names of the alternates, the alternation between Gilberto Dialuce and Sara Romano - two pillars of the Mise in the field of energy - appears perfectly compatible, while the replacement of Carlo Sappino, for years the number one in industrial incentives with Laura Aria, generated surprise who comes from consultancy positions in electronic communications. Just as surprising was the promotion of Emilia Masiello (consultant for state aid) in place of Franco Terlizzese, an authority on mining activities.
And so between those who have left slamming the door and those who are left without too many jolts, the number of top executives is growing, leaking grumbling and discontent because the minister is not seen, does not receive them, does not give them directives. Among the number one of the Mise, it remains in its place Stephen Firpo to industrial production but until when? The rumors chasing each other in the corridors of the Mise indicate him at the limit of endurance. The rotation decided by Di Maio and not yet official (the appointment Dpcm published by the Mise are still those of the old positions), comes after the strengthening of the general secretariat, entrusted - as Il Sole 24 Ore wrote - "to a very loyal minister , Salvatore Barca, and while working on the revision of the task force on corporate crises (led by the deputy head of cabinet Giorgio Sorial after the non-renewal of the consultant Giampiero Castano, who had coordinated the issue for about 11 years) ". In short, the power of the staff around Minister Di Maio is strengthened, that of the DGs fades.
APPOINTMENTS, A ROUND OF 27 SEATS IN PUBLIC SPAS
The most coveted seat is that of the CEO of Fincantieri, Giuseppe Bono who leads a group from 5,5 billion in revenues, soared to record levels last year. Bono has already obtained the appreciation of the League, of the premier Giuseppe Conte and of the CEO of Cassa Depositi Fabrizio Palermo. In the Salvini-Di Maio negotiation, the former is in favor of confirmation: “You don't change a team that wins. Fincantieri is a team that wins, Fincantieri is a team that doesn't change. I don't need to add anything else, it seems clear and evident to me” said the interior minister on a visit to the Monfalcone plant on Thursday.
Di Maio, on the other hand, seems to be pushing to get a president with powers to support the CEO, weakening him. The outcome of the negotiations will affect the other two large listed companies: Snam and Italgas. At Snam, CEO Marco Alverà has just closed a record balance sheet with over 1 billion in profit, but Paolo Gallo, CEO of Italgas, can also boast excellent results. If Bono's confirmation passes, it will also drag that of the other two CEOs, which is why it is on the seats of the two presidents (currently, Carlo Malacarne and Lorenzo Bini Smaghi) that Luigi Di Maio seems to be aiming to strengthen the M5S presence. It's not said that it will succeed, but this is the mood. And we will soon see how it will end: Fincantieri, Snam and Italgas are owned by the CDP which has long since set the board meeting for 6 March. It is on that occasion that he should deliberate on the appointments and file the lists in view of the shareholders' meetings: on 2 April Snam, 4 Italgas and 5 Fincantieri.
(Updated Feb 28 at 13:05pm)
