Tiziana Lombardo (Haeres Capital): “General counsel must preserve what makes a brand unique while guiding its evolution”

Leaders League: Tell us about your career path and the key experiences that shaped it.
Tiziana Lombardo: My professional journey has been shaped by a solid foundation in commercial and corporate law. I earned a master’s degree in law from Bocconi University and was admitted to the Milan Bar Association in 2012. After gaining experience in top-tier law firms, mainly in commercial and corporate litigation, I progressively moved into advisory roles, supporting companies in international commercial matters, corporate governance, intellectual property and M&A transactions.

A major turning point came in 2015, when I was in my early thirties. I took a C-level position at a Swiss holding company, working closely with shareholders and board members on business development and investments. This international experience allowed me to hone my practical, business-oriented legal mindset.

Since 2018, I have been part of the Haeres Capital group and, as head of legal and corporate affairs, I am active in private equity deals. When I first joined Haeres Capital, one part of my job was to provide comprehensive legal advice to the portfolio company, which at the time had just acquired the Borsalino brand with the goal of positioning it as a global fashion and luxury business; the other part involved deal sourcing, negotiations, M&A advisory and corporate finance transactions in the fashion and luxury goods, industrial and real estate sectors as part of the group’s growth strategy.

Today, I work at the intersection of legal strategy and investment execution, assisting the holding in private equity deals, supporting all the portfolio companies on special situations and strategic matters, supervising and ensuring compliance with the group’s overall business objectives.

What specific legal and regulatory challenges do you encounter most often while operating in the luxury investment and legacy brands market?
Operating in the luxury and legacy brands segment means dealing with a unique mix of tradition, local identity and global reach. From a legal standpoint, a recurring challenge is the protection and strategic use of intellectual property, not only as a legal asset, but as the very heart of a brand’s equity and identity. Safeguarding a brand’s heritage, its archive, and even its artisanal know-how often goes beyond standard intellectual property protection, requiring tailored contractual frameworks and long-term legal strategies.

There are also challenges in corporate governance, especially involving founders or family shareholders. Respecting the company’s history while introducing new governance models or external capital requires both legal precision and human sensitivity.

International expansion, digital transformation, regulatory compliance, sustainability and adapting to increasingly sophisticated consumer expectations – all within an ever-changing macroeconomic and geopolitical context – add further layers of complexity.

In this scenario, legal teams can no longer be seen as reactive or isolated from operations. They must become strategic enablers who understand the business, speak its language and help shape decisions proactively, detecting risks, ensuring close alignment between the legal function and business units, and implementing initiatives and processes to set standards and reinforce a culture of integrity, quality, ethical behavior and accountability across the group.

In particular, the general counsel must act as a strategic business partner, preserving what makes a brand unique while guiding its evolution. Our role requires leadership, flexibility, empathy, cross-functional communication and the ability to simplify complexity and mediate between interests to be both a team player and a diplomat.

I always keep the door of my office open, to encourage people to come in and speak freely: this often helps uncover issues before they escalate. The ability to anticipate problems, identifying, assessing and proactively managing the risks, is fundamental to a general counsel’s function, as I see it.

Regarding the recent strategic acquisitions of iconic Italian brands by ChimHaeres, what were the main priorities and legal complexities when managing these transactions?
ChimHaeres Investment Holding is registered in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and is active in private equity investments in the fashion, lifestyle and luxury goods sectors in Europe, with a particular initial focus on Italy, France, Switzerland and the UK.

From a legal perspective, beyond the numbers, we manage legacy, emotions and long-standing business relationships

The holding is currently the majority shareholder of Borsalino, the world’s most famous hat manufacturer, which was established in 1857 in Italy; Zagato, the iconic Italian coachbuilder and car designer founded in 1919; Fogal, the Swiss luxury hosiery and bodywear brand founded in 1921; and the sole owner of Vionnet, the French haute couture label founded in 1912 by iconic couturier Madeleine Vionnet.

Investing in brands with such a strong heritage and distinctive identity – which are often tied to a founding family or a historical archive – has an impact on the M&A process and requires a deep understanding of their long-term potential. Our main priorities typically include safeguarding a brand’s intellectual property assets, carefully managing governance transitions and ensuring post-transaction operational continuity.

From a legal perspective, we handle highly complex negotiations: beyond the numbers, we manage legacy, emotions and long-standing business relationships. One of the most challenging aspects is aligning the expectations of various stakeholders – especially in founder-led businesses – while preserving the brand’s DNA and values.

We look into intangible assets, brand perception, supply chain resilience and even cultural compatibility. In each instance, the legal structure must be tailored to protect what makes the brand iconic while enabling future scalability.

My role is to anticipate risks, translate business intent into solid legal frameworks and act as a bridge between investors, management and often the founders themselves. It is a delicate balance between technical expertise and human insight.

We also ensure regulatory alignment across jurisdictions such as Italy, France, Switzerland, the UK, Luxembourg and Abu Dhabi, harmonizing the legal architecture with the group’s business model and values, working closely with internal stakeholders and external advisors.

These transactions require a close collaboration between legal, financial and strategic units. It is not just about acquiring companies; it is about protecting intangible heritage while preparing each brand for international growth and responsible evolution. 

You are also active in the in-house legal community through the General Counsels Association, with whom you co-edited the book “Professione: General Counsel”. Tell us about it and which contributions from the book you believe are especially relevant.
“Professione: General Counsel” is the product of 24 professionals involved in the General Counsels Association, of which I am a member of the communication and external relations committee.

The book reflects a need in the Italian legal and business community: to define the framework and understand the evolution of the role of general counsel.

This is not an academic work; we wanted to present a practical, experience-based story of how this role has evolved from technical legal support to strategic business partner. Key topics covered include leadership, risk management, ESG, innovation and the growing importance of soft skills such as empathy, communication and diplomacy.

What I find especially relevant is the idea that a general counsel should not wait to be consulted but, rather, take a proactive, “center stage” role, while deeply understanding the business and helping to shape decisions. Another core competency is the importance of building strong, trust-based relationships both inside and outside the company, including with external law firms.

To summarize, the book reflects what I have experienced firsthand in my career. General counsel are no longer just legal technicians: we are expected to oversee and influence governance, anticipate risks, manage crises and contribute to the company’s culture and strategic direction. There have been moments when my involvement went far beyond legal matters, generating concrete business opportunities.

This transformation is precisely what we wanted to emphasize in this project. Through this work, we hope to promote a new narrative around the profession, one that aligns with the real impact general counsel can have on corporate success, values and long-term resilience.