Francesco Puntillo was appointed Head of Legal, Corporate, Regulatory and Antitrust Affairs in June 2023.
An expert in corporate law, he has extensive experience in corporate acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate finance, and private equity transactions related to listed and unlisted companies, both in Italy and abroad.
With more than 25 years of experience in the energy sector – traditional and renewable – and infrastructure, he has been involved in the most significant industry transactions, assisting listed and unlisted companies, major national and multinational utilities, infrastructure funds, pension funds, insurance funds, and private equity funds.
From 2019 to 2023, Francesco was a member of the Executive Committee of the law firm Gianni & Origoni where, since 2009, he also served as Co-Head of the Energy and Infrastructure Department, one of the largest and most well-structured sector departments in Italy and Europe.
He specializes in extraordinary transactions in regulated sectors, with particular reference to the energy sector (electricity and natural gas). His experience also covers the other regulated sectors (water cycle, waste cycle, transportation), as well as infrastructure in general.
He has gained significant experience in implemented infrastructure development projects, including through limited and nonrecourse financing, as well as BOT and BOOT projects. In particular, he has advised developers and lenders in numerous infrastructure projects, in which he has also gained significant experience in works and service contracts (EPC, EPCM, O&M, OMSA).
He is recognized as one of the top experts in the energy sector in Italy and abroad by leading international legal directories Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500, which mention him as "one of the best energy lawyers in Italy". He has also received numerous awards both nationally and internationally, including the prestigious Client Choice Award in the Energy & Natural Resources category for Italy, given to professionals who stand out for the excellent client service they provide.
Prior to joining Gianni & Origoni, he was a partner in the firm Pavia e Ansaldo in Rome and gained professional experience in several leading international law firms, including Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Allen & Overy in Milan.
He holds a law degree from La Sapienza University in Rome, a specialization in Corporate Finance from the Sorbonne University in Paris and an LL.M. from Cornell University in the United States.