He graduated from the Law School of the State University of Milan in 1982 after completing his military service in the paratroopers’ army. He was admitted to legal practice in 1984 and became a lawyer in 1988.
He began his professional activity as in-house counsel for Cassina Spa and, in 1986, was selected by the European Commission, along with 35 young Europeans, for the special master’s program in Japan “Executive training program in Japan” (Etp).
In 1991 he founded his law firm (Villa, Broglio, Mameli & Partners) in Milan, but he always maintained a direct presence in Japan, where he regularly resides every other month. During this period, he cooperated intensively with one of Japan’s largest law firms (Asahi Law Offices, formerly Masuda & Ejiri) as the outside counsel-a position he held until 2007 when the Asahi firm merged with Nishimura & Partners.
In 1998 by decree of the Japanese Ministry of Justice, he became the first (and, to date, only) Italian lawyer ever admitted to local legal practice as a foreign law attorney (“Gaikokuho-jimubengoshi”). Founds in Tokyo, in cooperation with the Pavia and Ansaldo firm, the first Italian law firm in Japan.
In 1999, in recognition of his efforts in increasing business relations between Italy and Japan, he was awarded the honor of Cavaliere all’Ordine del Merito della Repubblica Italiana by the President of the Republic.
He was a good tennis competitor and teacher (a sport he still plays and follows) and a good basketball player in his youth. He studied piano at the conservatory and then put classical music aside to enjoy strumming jazz standards and ditties. He is an assiduous and messy reader (he shamelessly ranges from Proust to John Grisham). He loves the sea and scuba diving.
Distinguishing skills:
- Cross-border M&A
- Joint ventures
- Startup
