Chief financial officer

Leggera’s mission is to develop a scalable digital multimedia platform for innovative multimedia story-telling, and to grow sales in Italian and Spanish speaking markets.
After fund raising (>1,3M€), the development of the proprietary platform and the definition of the product strategy, www.theflook.com was launched in Italy and Spanish speaking countries, also leveraging partnerships with Mondadori and Planeta Edizioni. At February 2017, it counts more than 50 thousands customers.

Volumes >$1,3Bn, Revenues >$100Mn, Investments >$20Mn, Headcount >2000# across all International markets (>15#), except the U.S

Assumed additional oversight for $100M revenue generating segment that covered 15 markets and provided financial and strategic support to the head of MTS International. Drove business development and new product launches, devised strategy and configuration of distribution channels, and created and implemented compensation/incentive schemes for existing and new distribution channels and customer service centres. Managed capacity planning for customer service centres. Performed financial evaluations and optimised investments with a focus on technology development. Developed and led implementation of corrective action plans extending to business transformation related to revenue generation and cost efficiency.
•	Played lead role in the introduction of the successful Best Fare Guaranteed commercial proposition, a strategy designed to respond to the continuous decline of commissions in the airline segment and make Amex an attractive proposition to large online agencies.
•	Oversaw development of a Total Value methodology model to optimize investments and provide accurate representation of the overall value added provided by travel services across the P&L of different Line of Businesses.
•	Co-coordinated greater synergy between diverse incentive schemes for different markets.

Main stakeholders: the International LFO, to whom I report, and the Head of Travel International, as well as all the Travel International Executive Team. 
The LFO team for Travel International is composed of 3 people, of which 1 reporting directly to me (the MTSI LFO). Other 14 Finance managers in the markets also reported to me in dotted line. 

In Italy: Volumes over $6Bn, Revenues of $300M, Investments over 50M$ and 800 employees.

Oversee all finance teams across the market with a focus on providing financial and strategic decision-making support to senior management in areas that include new product launches, investment optimisation, business transformation, and compensation/incentive schemes. Conduct comprehensive quarterly economic and financial evaluations for investment initiatives, perform monthly variance analysis, and forecast potential risks and opportunities supported by action plans. Lead development and presentation of monthly results, yearly plans, and targeted initiatives to business partners, the international finance executive team, and the governance branch committee.
•	Ensured consistently P&L benefit of 5 to 10M$ per year (or 3% to 6% of the cost base) through  Business Transformation initiatives. Among others: (a) boosted efficiency of loyalty programme through reduction in average cost per point; (b) Increased revenues through systematic card fee increases (c)  revised polices and reduced costs of customer retention; (d) consolidated treasury banks; (e) others.
•	Managed company’s exit strategy from a joint venture (>10M€ investment) with a major player in the financial industry and negotiated and finalised sale of Amex’s share with a significant gain on asset (>1M€).
•	Played key role on team that successfully negotiated renewal of the key co-brand deal of Amex in the market with forecasted sales of €12BN over 5 years. Developed simulation tool that computed financial returns for diverse drivers during the negotiation sessions.
•	Championed need to transition focus from lending business to small business segment (SBS) leading to new strategy where SBS B2B will drive 50% of expected growth until 2014.
•	Spearheaded full design of Amex Italy branch governance framework including a formal system of apportionment of responsibilities and delegations, an independent Board of Auditors, a formal ICAAP process, and the implementation of Pillar 3 guidelines.
•	Chairman’s Innovation Fund Award for proposal integrating payments through mobile services.

Main stakeholders: International LFO, to whom I reported, and the Country Manager, as well as all the Market Executive Team and the Governance Branch Committee.
Formal Apportionment of Responsibilities, and related Power of Attorney, as Finance Officer with oversight of the ICAAP (Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process) and of the other “Financial” functions in the market (Controllership, Treasury).. Permanent member of the Branch Governance Committee and the Operational Risk Sub-Committee. 
The LFO team for Italy was composed of 5 people, of which 4 reporting directly to me. 

Personal loans and credit cards. Acquired Diners Club in 2003. 700K cards, and >2Bn € volumes.
 
Supervised sales team of 6 direct reports with oversight for achieving sales targets for a line of Visa and Diners Club cards and management of all facets of the distribution channels. Led product configuration and pricing initiatives for commercial cards that generated 30% of volumes. Defined distribution strategy of the line of business, managed the sales support team, developed promotional offers, and created the sales force compensation scheme. Oversaw 4 key accounts with a focus on account management, new agreements, and volume growth. Recalibrated portfolio of existing agencies and negotiated an agreement with a major agency that serviced the competition.
•	Spearheaded rapid recovery of existing processes and channels after major disruption caused by a stringent compliance audit following acquisition by Citibank. In particular I reactivated the Face to Face channel (a new external agency and 60 territory agents) and I re-launched the Telemarketing channel, leveraging co-brand agreements to get high quality prospects lists.
•	Met 2005 targets for new consumer cards issued (30K) and exceeded target for commercial cards volumes over 10% (to €600M).

A newly established group from the acquisition of Diners Club Credit Card businesses (both issuing and acquiring) in UK, Germany, Switzerland, Benelux, France and Italy. Product range included Consumer, Small Businesses, Corporations and Merchants (Volumes >5Bn Euro. Cards in force >1,5Mn. Service Establishments in force >1Mn)

Oversaw 8 direct HQ reports and the 6 market CFOs. Established and managed the entire new finance system including organisation, policies and processes across all markets. Duties covered finalising consolidated financial statements, planning and control of DCE, and achieving economic and financial targets set by the shareholder. Recruited key teams in different markets. Key member of the team that managed acquisitions of all Diners Club businesses run by Citibank in EMEA.
•	Set up planning and control system with a focus on business transformation and reengineering leading to a yearly operating cost reduction of over 20% (or 15-20M€).
•	Established, in coordination with a 3rd party bank, a revolving securitisation facility of €500M as the main source of funding for the acquisition and the ongoing operations of DCE.
•	Steered the unification/consolidation of the group and markets general ledger through an innovative system managed centrally with SAP R/3.
•	Created entire legal entity and finalised the first consolidated financial statement of the group.

POST-GRADUATE STUDIES:

Graduated in Law: 110/110 “cum laude” - October 1996
Thesis: “Privatisation in the Italian Public Sector and comparison with UK and France”

POST-GRADUATE STUDIES:
SDA Bocconi – Milano – January to May 1994 - “Corporate Finance”
CEDEP – Fontainebleau (France) – March to May 1993 - “Operating Management”