Paolo Nicoletti

Paolo is the promoter, controlling shareholder and CEO of BE CAUSE.

A civil-commercial law attorney, manager and commissioner, he began practice as an associate of Prof. Guido Rossi, whom he assisted in some of Italy’s major financial transactions, such as the Telecom Italia takeover bid and the privatizations of Istituto Bancario San Paolo di Torino and Telecom Italia.

During the period 2001-2020, he was founding partner of NGD, a law-firm specialized in extraordinary corporate transactions, M&A, turnarounds and corporate crisis management.

In 2006, during the receivership of the FIGC – Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio – due to the “Calciopoli” scandal, with Guido Rossi as Commissioner, Paolo Nicoletti is appointed Sub-Commissioner, with delegated powers as Chief Executive Officer and with the task of following institutional relations with the Criminal and Civil Judiciary, the Antitrust Authority, FIFA and UEFA. During his stewardship, the Italian national team won the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

In 2007, he assumed the office of Chairman of the Board of Directors of Leonardo S.r.l., the holding company that controls Aeroporti di Roma, as well as the office of Executive Vice-President of the listed company Gemina S.p.A..

Since February 2016 and until April 2018, he has been CEO of the Cortina 2021 Foundation, the promoter and organizer of the 2021 World Alpine Ski Championships.

Since April 2017 and until May 2018, he has been Sub-Commissioner of the Serie A Football League with responsibility for the reform of the governance of the Serie A and the marketing of Italian and foreign audiovisual rights of the Seasons 2018/2021.

Graduated in law from the State University of Milan in 1991, Magna cum Laude.

In the year 2000, he was a visiting scholar at Yale University, with research on “behavioral law and economics” and “comparative corporate governance.”

He is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English and French.

Laura Guazzoni

Laura is Chairman and independent director of BE CAUSE.

In her professional activity she advises on economics and business management, corporate governance, corporate finance and securities markets; she deals with valuations of equity participations, intangible assets, companies and business in M&A transactions.

Laura Guazzoni acts as technical adviser in arbitration and judicial proceedings, in civil and criminal matters, as well as judicial custodian and judicial liquidator for the Court of Milan. She is an independent director and auditor in several companies and associations.

She graduated in business administration from the L. Bocconi Commercial University of Milan in 1988, has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1991, an Auditor since 1996 and a Technical Adviser of the Court of Milan since 1997.

In 2018 she is included in the “100 Experts” in Italy in the field of Economics and Finance following the selection made by the Pavia Observatory and the association Gi.U.Li.A.
Since 1994, she has been an Adjunct Professor at the L. Bocconi Commercial University of Milan in the course of Business Economics and Business Management.

She is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English.

Giorgio Groppi

Giorgio is managing director and member of the Board of Directors of BE CAUSE.

He started his professional career at Bonelli Erede (from 2004 to 2015) and then moved to Gatti Pavesi Bianchi Ludovici (from 2015 to 2021) where he was mainly involved in corporate and capital markets department, following numerous and notable mergers, acquisitions and other extraordinary transactions (IPOs, takeover bids, capital increases, joint ventures, etc.) for listed and unlisted companies as well as for private equity funds.

Giorgio graduated magna cum laude in 2002 in Business and Economics from the Università Luigi Bocconi University in Milan and, again magna cum laude, in 2004 in Law from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. He also holds an LL.M. in Corporate Law from New York University Law School (2009).

Proud father of Lea and Giacomo, a one-handed backhand, 3-time NYC Marathon finisher, Giorgio has been admitted to practice law in Italy (in 2007) and in NY State (in 2009). He is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English.

Paolo Canonaco

Paolo is co-founder and CIO of BE CAUSE.

He graduated in law from the University of Bologna in 1994, has been a member of the Italian BAR since 1998 and is qualified to practice before the Superior Judiciary.

He began his professional activity in 1994 by establishing a professional relationship with the law firm “Avv. Emilio Fadda” with offices in Genoa and Milan, a firm with strong national and international expertise in transportation, insurance and contract law.

In 1998 he started his own law firm with main offices in Rome and Milan.

The firm, which benefits of an extensive network for the management of litigation, follows several areas of civil, commercial and administrative law, with a strong specialization in banking (particularly on the credit side) and renewable energy law.

Paolo Canonaco also provides strategic and business advice in the renewable energy sector.

He is an entrepreneur in the tourism and restaurant industry.

He is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English.

Ernesto Rossi

Ernesto is at the head of the finance and control area of BE CAUSE.

He began his professional career in Deloitte & Touche, audit area, and then moved to the corporate finance department.

Since 2000 he has been working as an independent advisor, advising in M&A transactions, of national and international relevance, and company valuation. He has been appointed as technical advisor in legal proceedings at the main courts (Milan, Rome, Turin, Bergamo, Brescia). He has followed numerous corporate restructuring transactions in different economic sectors (industrial, energy, real estate, agribusiness, fashion) as financial advisor or certifier.

He holds a degree in Business Administration from the Catholic University of Milan, is a Certified Public Accountant and Auditor and an AIAF member.

He is an adjunct professor of Corporate Finance (Financial Analysis and Company Valuation) at the Catholic University of Milan.

He is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English.

Sofia Olivetti

Sofia is a legal analyst at BE CAUSE since 2021.

She began her professional career at CMS Adonnino Ascoli & Cavasola Scamoni in 2000 and then moved to the law firm Frau Ruffino Verna (from 2003 to 2008) and then to Studio Legale NGD (from 2008 to 2020) where she mainly focused on commercial, corporate and bankruptcy law following numerous extraordinary transactions, including those involving listed companies, and advising in the context of certain significant bankruptcy proceedings and debt restructuring operations. In litigation, she has provided assistance in corporate, commercial and bankruptcy law disputes.

Sofia graduated in Law from the University of Turin in 1999 and in the same year obtained, at the Faculté Internationale de Droit Comparé in Strasbourg, the Diplôme Supérieur de Droit Comparé following a three-year course. She qualified to practice law in Italy since 2002.

Sofia is a mother of two and a great fan of horseback riding and horses since childhood.

She is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English and French.

Nicoletta Catanzaro

Nicoletta is legal analyst at BE CAUSE.

She began her professional career in the firm CMS Adonnino Ascoli & Cavasola Scamoni (from 2019 to 2021) where she worked mainly in corporate and civil law following mergers, acquisitions and other extraordinary transactions, as well as providing in court and out of court assistance to clients operating in the oil & gas and energy, pharmaceutical, construction and medical services industry. She then worked (from 2021 to 2022) with Giovannelli e Associati law firm in the areas of corporate and civil law.

Nicoletta graduated with honors in 2019 in Law from the State University of Milan. During her university career, she participated as a member and later as a tutor in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competion.

Since 2019 he has been collaborating with the Private Law Institute at the University of Milan.

He is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English.

Laura Vinci

Laura is responsible for administrative and corporate affairs at BE CAUSE.

She started her practice in 2001 at NGD Law Firm as secretarial manager and since 2006 as managing director of the firm.

Since 2020 she has collaborated with Paolo Nicoletti in the conception and organization of BE CAUSE for which she currently serves as responsible for administrative and corporate affairs. She also serves as secretary of the Board of Directors and Advisory Committees.

Laura Vinci earned a certificate of business expert and correspondent in foreign languages in 2001, is married and is mother to Alice.

She is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English.

Pier Francesco Ricciardi

Pier Francesco serves as External Counsel and is the head of the tort department of BE CAUSE.

He has been practicing law for over 20 years at the Venice BAR, first as an associate at notable professional firms, while since 2006 he founded his own law firm. He mainly deals with civil law, particularly in the subjects of medical liability, railroad and ship accidents, work accidents and occupational disease, defective product damage and environmental pollution, establishing a network of stable collaborations with professionals and technicians. He collaborates with criminal lawyers, participating in the defense of civil parties in criminal actions.

Strong supporter of the effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures, in 2011 he obtained the license as a mediator for civil and commercial disputes, at the Venice Chamber of Arbitration.

Fascinated by the principles of flight, he obtained his Private Pilot License from the Aeroclub of Padua in 2007.

He is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English and Spanish.