Intesa Replaces Operating Chief as Messina Revamps Business Plan

(Bloomberg) -- Intesa Sanpaolo SpA named Rosario Strano as chief operating officer, one of several senior appointments before the Italian lender is expected to present a new business plan.

Strano, currently head of human resources, will replace Eliano Lodesani, Intesa Sanpaolo said in a statement Thursday. The bank hired Massimo Proverbio from Accenture as chief IT, digital and innovation officer, replacing Maurizio Montagnese, who will hold newly created functions to foster the bank's external innovation efforts. All appointments will be effective Jan. 1.

“The evolution in the organizational set-up is coherent with the goal of better serving clients,” Chief Executive Officer Carlo Messina said in the statement.

The appointments aim to strengthen the bank's management organization in areas such as digital and innovation as Messina works on a business plan that's expected to feature expansion in insurance and wealth management. Intesa will announce that strategy during the first quarter of next year, according to the statement.

The bank also named Alfonso Guido as chief cost management officer and said Marco Rottigni, currently in charge of the global corporate business, will become chief lending officer.

To contact the reporter on this story: Fabio Benedetti-Valentini in Paris at fabiobv@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Dale Crofts at dcrofts@bloomberg.net, Christian Baumgaertel, Andrew Blackman

©2017 Bloomberg L.P.