Finance
Italy Close to Appointing Mariani as Leonardo Ceo, Ousting Cingolani, Sources Say
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 9, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 9, 2026
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Italy’s government is reportedly close to naming Lorenzo Mariani—currently MBDA Italia’s Managing Director and former Leonardo co‑general manager—as CEO of Leonardo, replacing Roberto Cingolani. A formal announcement could come shortly.
Italy Set to Replace Leonardo CEO with Lorenzo Mariani, Ousting Cingolani
Leadership Transition at Leonardo: Key Developments
By Elvira Pollina, Angelo Amante and Giuseppe Fonte
Government's Decision and Mariani's Background
MILAN/ROME, April 9 (Reuters) - Italy's government is leaning towards naming Lorenzo Mariani as the new chief executive of Leonardo, four sources said on Thursday, ousting Roberto Cingolani in what would be a major change at the helm of the country's leading defence group.
Mariani is a former executive at the defence and aerospace conglomerate, now serving as managing director for Italy at missile maker MBDA, which is jointly owned by Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo.
Confirmation and Expected Announcement
"Almost," a senior government official told Reuters, when asked whether Mariani had been chosen to succeed Cingolani. The other sources confirmed the name of Mariani as the favourite for the job, with an announcement expected as soon as Thursday.
Government Stake and Political Dynamics
State Ownership in Leonardo
Italy owns a little more than 30% of Leonardo through the economy ministry.
Prime Minister's Role and Share Performance
Earlier this week, a source told Reuters that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was pushing for a leadership change at the company, whose shares have soared by 780% since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Political Negotiations and Appointment Process
Nominations at state‑controlled companies typically involve protracted and at times fraught discussions between political leaders, with rival factions jockeying for influence and names often changed at the eleventh hour.
(Reporting by Angelo Amante, Elvira Pollina and Giuseppe Fonte, editing by Gavin Jones)
Key Takeaways
- •Lorenzo Mariani, with deep experience at Leonardo and MBDA, is favored by the government to succeed Roberto Cingolani as CEO of Leonardo, with an announcement expected imminently (investing.com).
- •The move underscores political influence in appointments at state-controlled firms; activist investor Guy Wyser‑Pratte criticized replacing Cingolani as potentially undermining shareholder confidence (news.bloombergtax.com).
- •Leonardo shares fell about 6% after reports of the impending CEO change, amid broader government reshuffles intended to assert decisiveness following political setbacks (investing.com).
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Italy close to appointing Mariani as Leonardo CEO, ousting Cingolani, sources say
1Who is likely to become the new CEO of Leonardo?
Lorenzo Mariani is expected to be named as the new chief executive of Leonardo, according to four sources.
2Why is Roberto Cingolani being replaced as CEO of Leonardo?
The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, is pushing for a leadership change at Leonardo.
3What is Lorenzo Mariani's background?
Lorenzo Mariani is a former Leonardo executive and currently serves as managing director for Italy at missile maker MBDA.
4How much of Leonardo does the Italian government own?
Italy owns a little more than 30% of Leonardo through its economy ministry.
5What has happened to Leonardo's shares since 2022?
Leonardo's shares have soared by 780% since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
