The Draghi method has struck once again by overturning the top management of the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (Cdp), which is holding its assembly today, and those of the State Railways, ratified by yesterday's assembly.
At the helm of the CDP, which manages the postal savings of Italians and which has strategic stakes in the main public groups, Prime Minister Mario Draghi called an old acquaintance of his such as the vice president of the EIB, Dario Scannapieco, who burned Fabrizio Palermo at the photo finish, the CEO wanted by the Five Stars at the time and who had carried out significant operations such as those relating to the Italian Stock Exchange, Nexi, the Autostrade and Open Fiber. In addition to indicating Scannapieco as the new CEO, in today's meeting of the Cassa il Tesoro - which is the controlling shareholder - he indicated five women for the new board of directors (made up of 9 members) and supported, in agreement with the Banking foundations – which are the minority shareholder – the confirmation of Giovanni Gorno Tempini to the presidency. On a proposal from the Treasury, the shareholders' meeting also approved the payment of a coupon of 6,57 euros per share on the 2020 profit for a total consideration of approximately 2,2 billion, up from 2,15 billion last year. Over 358 million will go to the minority foundations, while the MEF will collect 1,86 billion.
A turnaround also for the State Railways where the Government has called a long-time manager like the former CEO of Terna to lead, Luigi Ferraris, who will take the place of Gianfranco Battisti while the presidency will be renewed for women with the appointment of Nicoletta Giadrossi.
As had already happened with the appointment of the new commissioner for the vaccination plan (with the arrival of General Figliuolo in Arcuri's place), the new heads of the Civil Protection (with the return of Curcio) and those of the secret services (where for the first time the leadership passed to a woman like the former Secretary General of the Farnesina, Elisabetta Belloni), Prime Minister Draghi acted silently but actively by choosing, one by one, the people deemed professionally most suitable for public offices to be renewed without looking in the face of political labels. In the case of the very latest appointments, Draghi has identified two managers with proven experience without worrying about the fact that their predecessors at the CDP and the FS had at the time been indicated by Five stars and enjoyed the full support of that Movement, which of course he didn't like it.
After all, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and Ferrovie dello Stato will have a central role in the investment plan envisaged by the PNRR for the implementation of the Recovery Plan and Draghi wanted to secure two managers with great experience and absolute political neutrality. But we are only in the first round because the appointments for the change at the top of Rai will arrive in mid-June and then over 200 public positions will have to be renewed. However, there is a big change compared to the past: Draghi has made it clear with facts that the allotment is over and that only professionalism and absolute professional correctness count for appointments.
(Last update: 16.57 pm on 27 May).
