#institutional

Sergio Urbani is the new Secretary General of Fondazione Cariplo

At its meeting held on December 16, 2014, the Board of Directors of Fondazione Cariplo named Sergio Urbani Secretary General of the Foundation. The new Secretary General is 42 and holds a Business Administration Degree from Milan Bocconi University. Urbani pioneered social housing in Italy some twelve years ago, starting with a pilot project launched by Fondazione Cariplo. That project led to the formation in 2004 of Fondazione Housing Sociale (Social Housing Foundation) by Fondazione Cariplo with the support of the Lombardy Regional Administration and the Association of Italian Municipal Administrations (ANCI). Sergio Urbani served as Director and Managing Director of Fondazione Housing Sociale up until June 2012.

While at Fondazione Housing Sociale, Urbani initiated numerous projects in social housing, an area that Fondazione Cariplo has always considered strategic. Among others, Urbani launched the ethical real estate fund Abitare sociale 1 (worth €85 million), which was the first Italian social housing fund, then the Parma Social House Fund, the Abitare Sostenibile Piemonte Fund, the Emilia Romagna Social Housing Fund and, in partnership with Lombardy municipal administrations, various other social housing projects carried out by the Fund (renamed FIL and now worth €225 million); social residential housing and university residences projects in the municipality of Milan; feasibility studies for social housing projects across Italy. Urbani also tested solutions and promoted innovation in the design and development of residential housing projects and related services.

In June 2012, Urbani became Co-General Manager of CDP Investimenti Sgr, the asset management firm that manages FIA, a national fund worth some €2 billion and a key component of SIF, Italy’s Social Housing Integrated Funds System, handling the development of 41 projects across Italy.

Previously, Urbani had worked at ABN AMRO Corporate Finance (2000-2004), Deloitte&Touche Corporate Finance (1999-2000), Milan Bocconi University Department of Economics - Industrial and Commercial Companies - (fellow), and Bankers Trust International.

Sergio Urbani appointment as Secretary General of the Foundation became effective in January 2015.  Secretary General is a role set forth in article 36 of the Foundation’s Bylaws that, inter alia, also stipulate the Secretary General’s term in office to be 4 years. Urbani replaced Pier Mario Vello, who passed away suddenly and prematurely last June.

Sergio Urbani joins a well-established management team that over these past years has contributed to our Foundation’s growth, leading a team of young individuals who are the beating heart of our organization – said Giuseppe Guzzetti, President of Fondazione Cariplo A team of 65 knowledgeable people with an average age of 40 years. Urbani joins an organization that runs like a well-oiled machine to which he will certainly give a significant contribution of competence and enthusiasm. I would like to thank all those who have worked with utmost dedication to make up for our loss of an unforgettable person, Pier Mario Vello, to whom - let me stress this again – we owe so much. A special thank goes to the Vice President Mariella Enoc, who in these past months took upon her yet another responsibility, that of interim Secretary General, pending the appointment of the new Secretary General.