Women in Legal Business - Tiziana Lombardo

Tiziana Lombardo is General Counsel at Haeres Capital, a private investment company focused on luxury and legacy brands. The tension at the heart of her role is structural. Private equity operates at the speed of capital deployment and return cycles, while luxury brand management requires the kind of deep, patient understanding of heritage and artisan positioning that cannot be rushed without damage. Legal sits inside that tension every day, from the M&A process that acquires the brand to the IP strategy that protects it, from the corporate governance that structures the holding to the risk management that anticipates what could threaten it.

Looking at your career path, what unique leadership trait has been most instrumental in allowing you to "move the needle" within your organization?

For me, it’s a mix of curiosity and courage. Curiosity keeps me close to the business, the people, the numbers, and the identity of the brands we support. Courage is what allows me to turn complexity into clear decisions.

When Legal shows up early, asks the right questions, and speaks the language of value creation, it stops acting as a checkpoint and becomes a true strategic business partner and enabler.

Reflecting on the past year, what is the most significant positive change you have observed regarding gender equality and female representation within the upper echelons of the Italian legal market?

The most positive change I have observed is a shift from “visibility” to “credibility”: more women are not only present in senior roles, but increasingly recognized as decision-makers in strategic matters such as governance, risk, transformation, and investments.

There is still a long way to go, but I see a growing expectation that leadership teams demonstrate inclusion in measurable ways, not just in statements.

How do you personally advocate for the inclusion of more women in high-stakes decision-making?

I advocate for women’s inclusion through practical actions that shape who gets access to high-stakes decisions.

First, I push for diverse representation in the rooms where decisions are shaped, ensuring that women are included and given meaningful roles, not just a seat.

Second, I focus on sponsorship, not only mentorship: I actively sponsor high-potential women by putting their names forward for high-stakes projects, visibility moments, and leadership responsibilities within my organization and across the broader ecosystem of advisors and peers.

Third, I frame diversity as decision-quality and performance driver: better risk sensing, richer debate, fewer blind spots, and more resilient long-term results.

Adopting high legal standards alone is insufficient to close gender gaps; robust implementation mechanisms are key to translating policy into real gender parity outcomes.

Indeed, inclusion only becomes real when it is measured through outcomes: who gets the assignment, who gets the seat, who gets promoted.

In a sector historically rooted in traditional structures, what is the single most important cultural shift still required to ensure that the Italian legal business becomes a truly meritocratic environment for the next generation of women?

The shift we still need is transparency: clear criteria for growth, accurate recognition of impact, and real accountability in how opportunities are assigned. Too often, power remains informal, based on proximity and legacy networks, rather than measurable contribution. The point is not to create oppositions; it is to expand meritocracy.

Many outstanding women remain behind the scenes and are less sponsored, less amplified, and less credited for what they build.

Meritocracy requires more than competence: it requires recognition, intentional sponsorship, and leaders who actively create visibility for others. Each of us has a responsibility to promote ourselves and to promote other women until excellence is as visible as it is real.

And most important, progress happens fastest when men and women sponsor each other. When they act as allies, talent becomes visible, decision quality improves, and the whole system gets stronger.

Success is rarely a solo journey. How has collaboration with other women (in-house or external) influenced your approach to business, and how are you paying that forward within your team?

Collaboration with other women makes me a better leader because it creates a space where you can compare realities, where you can see options, you might not see alone.

I’m particularly grateful to Giulia Cipollini, a partner in an international law firm, who believed in me and generously opened her network, showing me, what sponsorship looks like in practice. Careers accelerate when someone not only advises you, but actively advocates for you.

One of my most meaningful sponsors has also been a man: the entrepreneur leading our group, who trusted me early and consistently created space for me at the decision-making table.

I try to pay that forward by leading with calm authority: high standards, clear expectations, and real trust. With my colleagues I share context, not only tasks; I give ownership early; and, when someone performs, I make sure their name is attached to the result, because visibility is part of growth, both for men and women.

I also really enjoy connecting people across my network, keeping in mind that the most effective networks are inclusive: the goal is not a “women-only” circle, but a culture of sponsorship where everyone is accountable for opening doors.

One "hard truth" or piece of advice for young women entering the legal profession today?

No one will “grant” you confidence or permission. Build credibility through preparation, understand the numbers, and practice your voice before you need it. Then take risks early: ask for the stretch assignment, negotiate, and step forward even when you feel “not ready.” Growth rarely feels comfortable and leadership is a decision you make, not a title you receive.

And also, I would advise to keep in mind that kindness is not weakness: you can be humane and uncompromising at the same time.