An Italian naval officer and senior defense official who serves as the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, acting as the primary military adviser to the Alliance's Secretary General, its senior military officer, and chief military spokesperson. In this role, he conveys consensus advice from all NATO Chiefs of Defense to political bodies and issues direction to the Strategic Commanders and the Director General of the International Military Staff.
His military career spans decades of operational command and executive leadership within the Italian armed forces, including appointments as Italian Chief of Defense, Chief of the Italian Navy, Commander of the Joint Operations Headquarters, Commander of the Joint Special Forces Operations Headquarters, Superintendent of the Italian Naval Academy, and Commander of the Italian Navy Special Forces (COMSUBIN).
A qualified combat pilot on rotary, fixed-wing, and jet aircraft with over 2,500 flight hours, his sea duty assignments include serving as Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier Garibaldi, the frigate Euro, an AV8B jet squadron, and the minehunter Milazzo, alongside roles as Flight Commander on Maestrale-class frigates.
He holds master's degrees in Naval and Maritime Sciences as well as Political Sciences, and maintains qualifications as a military paratrooper.