ROME — The Italian government on Wednesday named Roberto Cingolani as the new CEO of state-owned defense giant Leonardo, ending weeks of speculation about who would succeed incumbent Alessandro Profumo.
Cingolani’s appointment, 61, is part of the government’s sweep of new jobs at major state-owned companies and coincides with the end of Leonardo’s helmsman Profumo’s second term.
Former NATO Senior Civilian Representative Stefano Pontecorvo becomes Leonardo’s new president.
Appointments must be formally approved by shareholders. A physicist by training, Cingolani joined Leonardo in 2019 and became chief innovation officer and cyber scientist before being named Italy’s “green transition” minister in 2021 by former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. and he spearheaded an AI program.
When Draghi’s government collapsed last year and was replaced in September elections by a coalition led by incoming Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Chingolani was asked to remain as energy adviser to the new government. He rejoins in that role and Leonardo is working on the space program. .
With his appointment, Leonardo will continue to focus on its cybersecurity program. Cingolani said Prime Minister Meloni despite her Defense Minister Guido Crosette’s push to appoint Lorenzo Mariani, head of her MBDA’s Italian operations, a European missile company financed by Leonardo. endorsed her CEO position.
Singolani had the vision needed to run a global company, but Mariani, who ran a European defense company, had more in-house knowledge and was able to fill the role sooner, according to industry insiders. It is believed that he was able to get a seat.
Leaving CEO Profumo worked in a bank before taking over Leonardo in 2017 from Mauro Moretti, who previously ran the Italian rail network.
Both men needed time to learn the ropes with Leonardo.
After six years of work, Profumo bequeaths Cingolani a solid and sleazy financial position, whose new orders last year rose 21% year-on-year to €17.266 billion, worth €16 billion or $17.6 billion. exceeded the expectations of
Tom Kington is the Italian correspondent for Defense News.
