Milan-based Andrea Sironi will be put forward as the board’s candidate for chairman at Italian insurance giant Generali, which is renewing its board of directors in late April.
Described by the insurer as an esteemed professor and rector, the 57-year-old is said to be a leading international expert in governance and risk management. Sironi, who has been appointed to the Generali board as an independent director, currently chairs Borsa Italiana and the AIRC Foundation for Cancer Research.
Sironi’s credentials also include having been on the advisory board for Fitch Ratings, as well as previous terms on the boards of UniCredit, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, and the London Stock Exchange Group. At present he also serves as vice president in the department of finance at Università Commerciale ‘Luigi Bocconi’.
Aside from Sironi, also co-opted to the Generali board as independent directors are Alessia Falsarone and Luisa Torchia. The latter, a jurisprudence expert located in Rome, brings experience from academia, public service, and boards of major financial organisations. US-based Falsarone, meanwhile, has extensive international know-how in the areas of ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) and asset management.
“I am proud to welcome Ms Falsarone, Mr Sironi, and Ms Torchia to Generali’s board of directors as we take the next step to building a successful and sustainable future for Generali,” commented Generali chair Gabriele Galateri di Genola when the announcement was made. “The new board members bring invaluable expertise as we implement our new strategic plan, ‘Lifetime Partner 24: Driving Growth’.
“The co-optation of Ms Falsarone, Mr Sironi, and Ms Torchia demonstrates the quality of candidates with international, governance, and sustainability expertise that will be part of the board’s full list of candidates for the next board. In particular, I welcome that Mr Sironi has agreed to stand as the board’s candidate for chairman.”
The outgoing chair said Sironi’s career in academia and on the boards of leading financial institutions in Europe gives Galateri di Genola “great confidence” that his proposed successor will contribute to Generali’s future success on behalf of stakeholders.
Meanwhile Generali added: “The board verified the suitability of the new members with the professional, reputational, and independence requirements set forth for listed insurance companies by the applicable provision of law and by the corporate governance code.”
