Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 20, 2026
1 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
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Leonardo's chairman clarified that his comments on a merger with Fincantieri were made jokingly, with no formal plans in place.
MILAN, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Leonardo's chairman on Tuesday rowed back on comments he made about a possible merger with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, dismissing them as a light-hearted quip.
Stefano Pontecorvo floated the idea of a future combination between the two state-controlled groups at a business conference in Milan on Monday.
The chair of the Italian defence and aerospace group was addressing an audience that included Claudio Cisilino, Fincantieri’s executive vice‑president for operations.
"I made a quip, in clearly joking tones, about a possible merger between Leonardo and Fincantieri," Pontecorvo, a retired career diplomat, said in a statement.
The remarks "do not reflect any hypothesis currently under consideration and there are no formal files or dossiers relating to potential industrial operations" between the two firms, he added.
Leonardo and Fincantieri cooperate on several programmes, but past discussions over deeper industrial integration have stalled amid political issues and diverging business priorities.
(Reporting by Cristina Carlevaro, editing by Alvise Armellini)
A merger is a business combination where two companies join to form a new entity, often to enhance competitive advantage, increase market share, or achieve operational efficiencies.
Corporate strategy refers to the overall plan and direction of a company, focusing on long-term goals, resource allocation, and competitive positioning in the market.
A partnership is a business arrangement where two or more individuals or entities collaborate to manage and operate a business, sharing profits, losses, and responsibilities.
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