Franco Bassanini has resigned from his role as chairman of state-owned lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), amidst tension with Matteo Renzi’s government.
In a statement, Renzi said that he had discussed with Bassanini, who is also president of…
Franco Bassanini has resigned from his role as chairman of state-owned lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), amidst tension with Matteo Renzi’s government.
In a statement, Renzi said that he had discussed with Bassanini, who is also president of dark fibre operator Metroweb, the need to renew CDP’s corporate governance.
The prime minister said that he intends to use Bassanini’s skills and experience to serve the country in other roles and appointed him as his “special advisor” on the €12bn high-speed broadband plan.
Bassanini, who will stay on as Metroweb president, will be replaced as CDP chairman by former banker Claudio Costamagna, current chairman of construction group Salini Impregilo.
CDP CEO Giovanni Gorno Tempini will also reportedly step down and be replaced by Fabio Gallia, current CEO of bank BNL-BNP Paribas.
CDP, which is 80.1% owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, is a major shareholder in Metroweb.
The Milan-based fibre operator, which recently signed a letter of intent with Vodafone and Wind Telecomunicazioni to speed up nationwide fibre deployment, has been central to the government’s recently-launched digital strategy.
The government had initially been in favour of a public-private partnership (PPP) between Metroweb, which is installing fibre beyond Milan to Genoa, Turin and Bologna, and former incumbent Telecom Italia, but a deal between the two players collapsed as TI wanted to secure full control of the fibreco.
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