Since September 2020, he is the Managing Director of Artisa Finanz AG, a Swiss financial advisory company belonging to the Artisa AG Group, a leading Swiss real estate development company with a pan-European presence. Francesco has selected, negotiated and concluded the joint venture between Artisa Group AG and NREP – Nordic Real Estate Partners, the main real estate investment manager in the Nordic countries. The JV will develop one billion euros of investments in microliving residential properties in Northern Europe managed by City Pop AG.
From January 2015 to August 2020, he was Chief Executive Officer of Swiss Merchant Corporation S.A., Lugano, a financial advisory company established in 1990, with CHF 20 million of share capital, specialising in extraordinary corporate transactions (acquisitions, mergers, spin-offs, transformations, stock market listings), as well as in advising on the search for debt capital (from banks or other sources). The company also acts as advisor to international closed-end funds specialising in the acquisition of shareholdings in unlisted companies.
From January 2009 to June 2013, he was General Manager of Intermedia Holding S.p.A., Bologna, a private equity fund with 200 million euros of capital active in investments mainly in the renewable energy sector. In this context, he has been Chairman or Managing Director of several companies operating in the photovoltaic sector that have built and managed 41 MW. In addition to the management of its holdings, the group is particularly involved in the preparation of business plans, term sheets for bank loans, debt rescheduling and restructuring.
The company has invested part of its capital in the renewable energy sector and in particular has developed various initiatives for the construction and operation of photovoltaic plants for a total of 41 MW and agricultural biomass plants for 4 MW. All the plants have been developed through project financing operations. The total value of the investments amounts to approximately € 180 million.
In this context, he has been Chairman or Director of several companies:
- President of Interlux S.r.l., Bologna (2010-2013), a company that has built 3.5 MW of photovoltaic plants in Basilicata;
- President of Agrisolar S.r.l., Bologna (2019-2013), a company that has built 3.5 MW of photovoltaic plants in Basilicata;
- Chairman, then Sole Director, of Intersolar S.r.l., Bologna (2010-2013), a company that has built 8 MW of photovoltaic plants in the province of Ravenna;
- President of Intersolar Piemonte S.r.l., Bologna (2010-2012), a company that has built 4 MW of photovoltaic plants in the province of Cuneo;
- President of Interphoton S.r.l., Bologna (2009-2012), a company that has built 5 MW of photovoltaic plants in Puglia through the following companies of which he was President: Seaf Uno S.r.l., Seaf Due S.r.l., Seaf Quattro S.r.l., Seaf Cinque S.r.l., all based in Coriano (RN);
- Sole Director of Solar Energy Parks S.r.l., Voghiera (FE) (2010-2012), a company that has built 1.5 MW of photovoltaic plants in Marche;
- Chairman of Interpolo Energia Holding S.p.A., Offida (AP) (2010-2012), a company that has built 4 MW of photovoltaic plants in the province of Ascoli Piceno through the company Interpoloenergia Uno S.r.l., of which he was Chairman;
- Chairman of Interenergia S.p.A., Bologna (2009-2013), a company that has built 9 MW of photovoltaic plants in the Marche region through the following companies of which he was Chairman: Interenergia Quattro S.r.l., Fano Solar 1 S.r.l., Fano Solar 2 S.r.l., Notaresco Solar S.r.l., Sant’omero Solar S.r.l., all based in Bologna;
- Sole Director of General Contractor Energie Rinnovabili S.r.l., Bologna (2012-2013), a company dedicated to the construction of turnkey photovoltaic systems for third parties;
- Sole Director of Energie Rinnovabili S.r.l., Bologna (2013), holding company in the sector of renewable energy;
- Chairman of Bioenergy Parks S.p.A., Bondeno (FE) (2009-2013), a company that has built 4 MW of energy production plants from agricultural biomass in Bondeno;
- Chairman, then Deputy Chairman of Ichnusa Gas S.r.l., Bologna (2010-2013), a company that holds the concession for the construction and management of 11 gas distribution networks in Sardinia.
- Managing Director of Swiss Merchant Corporation S.A., Lugano (2015-2020), a financial advisory firm specialising in extraordinary corporate transactions, as well as advising on the search for debt capital.
- 2016: Member of the Board of Directors of Cassa di Risparmio di Cesena S.p.A. and member of its Executive Committee.
- May 2019 – June 2021, he has been a Board Member of Ecoplasteam S.p.A., an innovative company for Tetra Pak recycling, which through technology, development, sustainability implements processes for the end of waste of polycouples, generating a new material, coming from plastic recycling.