Board of Directors

The Board of Directors has the broadest powers of management and is responsible for ensuring that the decisions of the shareholders’ meeting are implemented promptly and correctly.

The current Board of Directors was elected on 29 April 2022 and will remain in office until the shareholders’ meeting called to approve the 2024 financial statements. On 15 July 2022 the Board of Directors co-opted Stefano Marsaglia as independent board member, who replaced the non-independent director Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone, resigned from the Board on 26 May 2022. 

The Board of Directors comprises currently 13 directors. A significant effort is made to ensure "gender quotas" (there are six women on the board, equal to 46%) and a broad range of expertise. Considering international best practices and increasingly established requirements in the world of finance, the majority of the members of Board of Directors are independent: ten out of thirteen directors (77%) are classified as independent according to the Italian CG Code, well above the minimum requirement under current regulations.

Andrea Sironi
Chairman
Philippe Donnet
Group CEO
Marina Brogi
Flavio Cattaneo
Alessia Falsarone
Clara Furse
Umberto Malesci
Stefano Marsaglia
Antonella Mei-Pochtler
Diva Moriani
Lorenzo Pellicioli
Clemente Rebecchini
Luisa Torchia

Giuseppe Catalano (Secretary of the Board of Directors)

 

In accordance with the list voting system, AGM 2022 appointed 10 directors from the majority slate presented by the outgoing Board of Directors and 3 directors were elected from the minority slate presented by the shareholder VM2006 S.r.l.

All the board members are independent in accordance with the Italian legislation for insurance companies (Decree of the Ministry for economic development no. 220 of 11 November 2011). Among them 12 are independent pursuant the legislation applicable to companies listed in the Italian regulated market (CFBA) and 10 as for the Italian CG Code.

Independent as defined by the... CFBA

CG Code

Andrea Sironi X X
Philippe Donnet    
Marina Brogi X X
Flavio Cattaneo X X
Alessia Falsarone X X
Clara Furse X X
Umberto Malesci X X
Stefano Marsaglia X X
Antonella Mei-Pochtler X X
Diva Moriani X X
Lorenzo Pellicioli X  
Clemente Rebecchini X  
Luisa Torchia X X
  12 of 13 10 of 13

According to the analysis conducted by Generali, with the exception of the CEO, Philippe Donnet, who holds an executive role, the remaining 12 directors corresponds to the independence criterion set by S&P Global.

Generali has not appointed a Lead Independent Director and such choice is compliant with the Italian Corporate Governance Code. In fact, the role of Lead Independent Director (LID) - the introduction of which is recommended by the CG Code only in specific cases, which do not apply in the case of Generali - is not necessary in relation to our Company's organisational structure, since the Chairman, who is an independent director, is neither an executive nor a controlling shareholder of the Company; moreover, the majority of Independent Directors have not yet deemed it necessary to make a proposal to the Board for the appointment of a LID.

 

  • The size of the Board of Directors is on the average of Italian and European peers.

Size - European and Domestic comparison

Size - European and Domestic comparison
Size - European and Domestic comparison

* Assonime "La Corporate Governance in Italia: autodisciplina, remunerazioni e comply or explain (anno 2022)"
** Spencer Stuart "Italia Board Index 2022" e "Boards around the world 2022"
*** Spencer Stuart "2020 Germany Spencer Stuart Boards Index"

  • The level of independence of the Board of Directors is above average of European and Italian peers.

% Independence - European and Domestic Comparison

% Independence - European and Domestic Comparison
% Independence - European and Domestic Comparison

* Assonime "La Corporate Governance in Italia: autodisciplina, remunerazioni e comply or explain (anno 2022)"
** Spencer Stuart "Italia Board Index 2022" e "Boards around the world 2022"
*** Spencer Stuart "2020 Germany Spencer Stuart Boards Index"

  • The presence of women on the Board of Directors exceeds the average of Italian and European peers.
% Independence - European and Domestic Comparison

** Spencer Stuart "Italia Board Index 2022" and "Boards around the world 2022" 

  • The average age of the Board of Directors is 59 years and is in line with the average of Italian and European peers.
% Independence - European and Domestic Comparison

* Assonime "La Corporate Governance in Italia: autodisciplina, remunerazioni e comply or explain (anno 2022)"
** Spencer Stuart "Italia Board Index 2022" e "Boards around the world 2022"
**** Spencer Stuart "Boards around the world 2022": EU average used in the analysis (Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Sweden, Italy)

Generali Directors must be chosen based on their professional expertise and competence from among people who have at least three years’ total experience as a qualified professional in the insurance, credit or financial sector. They must also meet specific integrity and independence requirements.

 

The members of the Board of the Directors and Supervisory Board must, individually and as members of such corporate body, have adequate experience and knowledge of:

  • Markets in which the company operates
  • Strategy and the business model
  • Governance system
  • Actuarial and financial analysis in relation to insurance companies
  • Legal context and regulatory requirements
Skills and requisites for office

During 2022, as in previous years, regular and periodical training sessions were organised to provide Directors and Statutory Auditors with updates and insights on strategic topics and relevant risk items.

In 2022, the Board had four training sessions on the following topics:

  • IFRS 9 and IFRS 17 accounting standards, as well as the Organization and Management Model of Generali;
  • structure of corporate governance, asset management and risk management;
  • IFRS 9 and IFRS 17 accounting standards;
  • sustainability, with focus on climate change, corporate citizenship and cybersecurity.

Especially for the benefit of the newly appointed Directors, induction sessions were organised on the current financial statements, on the Group organisation structure, on solvency issues, on Generali corporate governance, on the Company’s approach to sustainability and its integration with the core business. Two training sessions were held on, respectively, technology and Group priorities, and the structure and priorities of the Life business. Starting in February 2023, the Directors have had access to the “We-Learn” educational platform to follow video courses on cyber security.

Additional regular risk focused sessions include the periodical review of the Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA) Report, the Risk Appetite Framework, the periodical reporting on solvency position and the risk management system as well as additional deep dives on selected risks (ie. climate risk, operational risks, etc.). More details on Group Risk Appetite and Own Risk and ORSA can be found in Group Risk Report included in the Annual Integrated Report and Consolidated Financial Statement.

For previous year training sessions please consult ref. Corporate Governance and Share Ownership Report 2021 p. 71 and ref. Corporate Governance and Share Ownership Report 2020 p. 65 available at this link.

For information on directors’ compensation, see the remuneration section.

For information on directors’ shareholdings, see the shareholdings section.

For information about the engagement with the Board of Directors, see the engagement section.