Salve

Blimey. The BBC Board has lighted upon an Italian to be an anchor-non-executive member for journalism. 

Marinella Soldi, 57,  is currently Chair of the Board of Directors of Rai (Radiotelevisione Italiana) and a member of the Board of Directors of the EBU (European Broadcasting Union). She is also Non-executive Director for Nexi digital payments and Ariston thermal solutions. 

Born in Figline Valdarno, Marinella grew up first in Matassino, where the Soldi family have been making fireworks since 1869. She moved with her parents to London at the age of 8. She went to St Catherine's Convent, Twickenham. At 18, she failed to to get a place at Cambridge University, and took a gap year in back with her aunt in Florence. The life-plan was reformulated and she returned to a first degree in development economics from the LSE in 1989, and moved straight in to three years with McKinsey. 1994 brought an MBA from Insead; a connection there led to four years on strategy and business development with MTV Europe. A six year period of leadership coaching then led to a gig as MD of Discovery Networks in South Europe; she moved the HQ from Paris to Milan. Her time there is cited by academics as a text-book tricky change job, in which our Marinella triumphed.  In 2018, she opted for a portfolio of non-executive roles.  (Anyone spot any direct journalism roles here ?)

Her Linkedin page is headed "It is not the strongest who survive, but those most responsive to change.... Darwin". 

The Soldi family has had an interest in a property in Maida Vale for some time, and Marinella was on the UK Electoral Register in 2002.   Tim Davie was interviewed by Marinella as part of the Prix Italia  programme in 2022. I say 'interview' - there's a lot of agreement over the hour.