Cattaneo Zanetto & Co., a leader in government affairs services, and Community, a leading firm in communications and reputation management services, announced today that it has joined forces to create the holding company Excellera Advisory Group.
The name chosen for the new company, Excellera, best embodies the essence of the two firms, inspired by the highest standards of excellence, combined with the ambition to accelerate together with its customers in navigating critical moments, challenges or opportunities in the financial, political and social spheres. The two brands remain independent, retaining their current governance structures.
The deal brings the sector’s global best-practice model to Italy for the first time: thanks to the financial and strategic support of Xenon Private Equity, this agreement is, in fact, the first step towards the creation of a broader group of professional firms that will compete, as a market leader, in Europe as well.
Excellera Advisory Group It is set to achieve a total turnover of over 25 million euros in 2022, placing it at the forefront of the sector in Italy, and will have a staff of 140 professionals across its offices in Rome, Milan, Treviso and Brussels. Today, the Group serves more than 300 clients, including national and global leaders in key sectors: financial services, industrial goods, energy, healthcare, infrastructure, telecommunications and media, retail, the platform economy, as well as non-profit organisations, public bodies and trade associations.
Alberto Cattaneo, Claudia Pomposo and Paolo Zanetto Cattaneo Zanetto & Co. will reinvest equally in the holding company and will retain their positions within the firm. Auro Palomba will remain CEO of Community and, together with Giuliano Pasini, Roberto Patriarca, Marco Rubino, Giovanna Benvenuti and Pasquo Cicchini, held by the company Always On, will be reinvested in the holding company.
Auro Palomba, CEO of Community: “Over the course of more than twenty years, Community has always stood out as a pioneer in the sector, and this has enabled us to become the market leader in Italy in communications and reputation management. Through this deal, we are bringing to Italy a model that will provide us with the financial and industrial support needed to continue growing and to acquire other firms both at home and abroad. Together with Cattaneo Zanetto & Co., whose founding values of independence, transparency and professional ethics we share, we are creating a true national champion capable of understanding clients’ needs, offering strategic vision and operational support in our relationships with all key market stakeholders.”
For Alberto Cattaneo, Claudia Pomposo and Paolo Zanetto, CEO of Cattaneo Zanetto & Co.: “Over the years, we have established ourselves as the leading lobbying and government affairs firm in Italy, proudly contributing to the growth of the entire sector in terms of scale, professional expertise and transparency. Thanks to the trust of our clients, we have first built up a successful track record, then attracted the attention of major financial and banking investors, so that we can now take on the new challenge of creating a national champion capable of competing on international markets as well. The launch of Excellera Advisory Group renews this bond of trust with our clients, providing them with new services and new expertise, whilst guaranteeing – together with Community – the commitment to excellence that has always been our hallmark.”
Franco Prestigiacomo, CEO of Xenon: “Our hallmark is that we are financial investors with a strong focus on industrial issues, supporting entrepreneurs in building national champions in fragmented sectors. Across the globe, the leading government and reputation affairs firms have received investment from funds that support their growth, including through acquisitions. We began with the two leading Italian firms in their respective sectors, Cattaneo Zanetto & Co. and Community: Excellera will serve as a platform upon which we will establish sector-leading excellence, both in Italy and abroad, by bringing on board other leading advisory firms.”
The Xenon team that worked on the deal includes Gianfranco Piras, who is set to become Chairman of Excellera, Giorgio Pastorelli and Francesco Banfi.
The deal was financed by Banco BPM, Banca IFIS and Banca Sella. The legal advisers were BonelliErede, Pavia e Ansaldo, PwC TLS and Pierfrancesco Bencivenga; Deloitte, Marco Rovello of FMR and PwC acted as financial advisers.
