The lawyer of the Minister of Enterprise and member of his foundation renounces “the legal mandates conferred on me by the minister” and also the role of Accierie d’Italia (controlled by Mimit). But there is still an inappropriate role in the Seri-IIA operation
Gianluca Brancadorohistorical lawyer of the Minister of Enterprise Adolfo Urso, tells Il Foglio that “precisely to avoid useless exploitation” he has resigned the “legal mandates once conferred on me by Minister Urso for his private affairs”. Furthermore, always to “avoid any useless chatter” he announces that he wants to resign “as soon as possible the legal mandate conferred on me by the Acciaierie d’Italia board of directors”.
The question was raised, August 21st, from Tomorrow who noted that the commissioners of the former Ilva have entrusted Brancadoro an assignment without a tender “for reasons of extreme urgency”. The name of the lawyer Brancadoro who, as he is keen to point out to Il Foglio, has been working “with authority” and writing “scientific essays in the field of extraordinary administration for over thirty years”, appears in the list of numerous consultants hired by the Acciaierie d’Italia (AdI) group in extraordinary administration with an important task: “Judicial and extrajudicial assistance in relations with Ilva”. The subject of the consultancy is very delicate and the task was entrusted directly, as we said, for “reasons of extreme urgency”.
Now, for reasons of extreme inappropriateness, Brancadoro is taking a step back and the commissioners will have to find another lawyer just as urgently. His skills are not in question, in fact. Brancadoro has a long experience as a consultant for banking, financial and industrial groups: owner of the firm Brancadoro-Mirabilewas the extraordinary commissioner of the Popular Bank of Spoleto and chairman of the Supervisory Committee of Carigeand is commissioner of the old Alitalia-Lai together with Giovanni Fiori, current commissioner of AdI who wanted him as a consultant for Ilva. Furthermore, in April 2023, Brancadoro was appointed on the recommendation of the Meloni government (more precisely by the Mef) vice president of the board of directors of Monte dei Paschi di Siena (Mps).
The problem, if anything, concerns the relations with Minister Urso, on whom extraordinary administrations such as Ilva depend. Brancadoro, in fact, is very close to the minister of Fratelli d’Italia. He is his trusted lawyer and is part of the organizational chart of the Farefuturo Foundation, chaired by Ursowith the role of president of the Board of Auditors (although the page has recently been removed from the site).
Last February, Brancadoro’s name was circulating as a possible candidate in the list of commissioners of the former Ilva, together with professors Carlo Mapelli and Alessandro Danovi. Evidently, for the same reasons of opportunity, the choice fell on others: Giancarlo Quaranta (appointed in February), Davide Tabarelli and Giovanni Fiori (appointed in March). Almost simultaneously (in March) the new AdI commissioners entrusted the task to Brancadoro.
We asked the Mimi from which other extraordinary administrations under the jurisdiction of the ministry Brancadoro has received assignments, starting from the establishment of the Meloni government. The ministry has not yet responded. We asked the same question to Brancadoro, also asking him if he has other assignments in operations in which Mimit – or companies attributable to it – is involved. Brancadoro defined the question “a little captious”since it is limited to the “last mile” of its activity, remembering that this is “a sector in which I have always operated and at a good level”.
But he replied that “after the Meloni government took office, unfortunately I have not had any other legal mandates other than the role” of AdI, which he intends to resign “as soon as possible” for “avoid any useless chatter.” The lawyer specified that “precisely to avoid unnecessary exploitation, I have remitted legal mandates given to me at the time by Minister Adolfo Urso for his private affairs”. On this, however, Brancadoro is at least imprecise: it can be stated with absolute certainty that he continued to be Urso’s lawyer even after receiving the assignment at Ilva (March 2024), given that Minister Urso’s quote against Il Foglio and Il Riformista (for the well-known “Adolfo Urss” affair), signed by the lawyer Brancadoro, It was filed three months later (June 2024).
Moreover, in those same days, in mid-June, the study Brancadoro Mirabile was referred to as advisor to the Seri Industrial group in the acquisition from the state of 98% of Industria Italiana Autobus (IIA). An operation desired and authorized by Urso: “The entry of Seri Industrial into the capital of Industria Italiana Autobus marks a new peace in the history of this company,” declared the minister.
There is nothing illegal, but it is a bit strange to see that the firm of the Minister of Enterprise’s lawyer acts as advisor in an industrial operation decided by the minister. Brancadoro says, regarding the renunciation of the mandates of Urso and AdI, that he was not required to do so “but I did it because it seems appropriate to me”. Is it not the case, always for expediency, to also resign the mandate of Seri Industrial for the acquisition of IIA?