Flavio Cattaneo, born in 1963, received a degree in Architecture from the Milan Politecnico and a Real Estate Finance specialization from SDA Bocconi. Respected Italian executive with solid experience in managing large industrial companies – both private and public – in the construction, communication, energy, infrastructures, transport and telecommunication sectors.
He is currently Executive Vice President of Italo - Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori, the first private company of High Speed Trains in Europe, and President of Executive Board of the Company. He founded Itabus, a private long-distance road transport company launched on 27 May 2021, then sold to Italo in May 2023. He is currently CEO and General Manager of Enel.
He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Assicurazioni Generali since 29 April 2022.
From October 2017 to December 2018 CEO of Italo – Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori S.p.A.
From March 2016 to July 2017 CEO of Telecom Italia S.p.A., Italy’s #1 telephone operator listed on the Italian stock exchange, with leading presence in Latin America. While CEO, improved growth and efficiency: completed the major and extraordinary turnaround of the business via a major reorganization of internal processes, efficiency plans on non -core costs and revenue plans. Resulted in Company increasing its customers and revenues to levels not reached in the last 10 years, increased its core investments, bringing the Company back to leadership of the mobile segment (downloads) and covering around 70% of the country with fibre. Before his appointment as CEO, he was already in the Board of director as independent director (since April 2014), where he also served as member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee (up until March 2015).
From February 2015 to March 2016 Flavio Cattaneo was CEO of NTV S.p.A. the first Italian private railway operator in the very high-speed railway market, with a very strong CRM approach (over 90% of sales made via web site CRM). While CEO, NTV reached positive Net income for the first time since inception. Since December 2014, he still sits as director in the Board of Directors.
He also served on the board of directors of several companies: Generali Assicurazioni (independent director, from December 2014 to April 2016); Domus Italia (Chairman, from March 2015 to May 2016); Cementir Holding S.p.A. (independent director and member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and Control and Risks Committee, from January 2008 to April 2015).
From 2005 to 2014, CEO of the infrastructure company Terna S.p.A., the Italian electricity transmission grid operator and the leading independent grid operator in Europe. During his management, he developed an international expansion strategy in South America and in the Balkans, doubling the value of the stock price, indeed recognized internationally as the best Utility stock in Europe for Total Shareholder Return (Edison Electric International Award Washington D.C., periods from 2007 to 2009 and from 2010 to 2012).
From 2007 to 2011, Falvio Cattaneo was also Chairman of the Brazilian subsidiary TERNA Partecipaçoes, a private electricity grid operator. During that period, the Subsidiary was listed on the BOVESPA Stock Exchange and became the first private grid operator in Brazil.
From 2003 to 2005, he was the youngest Managing Director of RAI S.p.A, the Italian public service broadcaster. He oversaw the merger with RAI Holding and achieved the best economic and financial performance ever, still unmatched today.
From 1999 to 2003, he was Chairman and CEO of Fiera Milano S.p.A., the leading exhibition group in Italy, of which he oversaw the listing in 2001. Before the IPO, he followed the spin off between the institutional activities of the foundation and the market activities in charge of the S.p.A., which expanded internationally with an increase of its international presence in over 30 countries.
From 1998 to 2001, Flavio Cattaneo was Director of many energy companies, including AEM S.p.A. (now A2A) as Deputy Chairman, in which he was in charge of the gas distribution activities in the Northeast of Italy as CEO of Triveneta Gas S.p.A. and Seneca Gas S.p.A.
From 1989 to 1998, CEO of various Italian companies in the building and Real Estate sectors.
During his career, Flavio Cattaneo developed a solid experience in managing large and complex industrial companies in various sectors and had a proven track record in M&A and corporate finance, having led many M&A transactions, corporate bonds issues and other structured finance transactions. He also carried out complicated reorganizations and turnarounds.
He was a member of the Giunta of industrial association Confindustria and Vice President of the Industrials of the City of Rome.
He received various national and international recognitions: in 2010 nominated Best Italian Manager in the energy sector; in 2011 Man of the Year by the newspaper Staffett a Quotidiana; in 2016 Manager of the Year following magazine Milano -Finanza’s survey, highlighting the improvement made in Telecom Italia Group from an industrial point of view; Lombard Elite for having improved Italy’s competitiveness.
In 2011, he was honoured Cavaliere del Lavoro by the President of the Italian Republic.