A&O Shearman invests in energy and infrastructure in Italy with the arrival of partner Umberto Antonelli

A&O Shearman announces the appointment of Umberto Antonelli as a partner in its global Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure (ENRI) practice.

With over 20 years of experience in the energy, infrastructure and transport sectors, Umberto advises leading infrastructure funds, domestic and international banks, financial institutions, construction companies, developers and corporates on complex financing transactions spanning project finance, infrastructure financing, acquisition finance and corporate finance in Italy and across the EMEA region. He joins from Ashurst Perkins Coie, where he joined in 2010 and became a partner in 2018, having earlier spent part of his career at legacy Allen & Overy.

Umberto's arrival is part of a strategic investment aimed at strengthening the firm's energy and infrastructure offering in Italy—one of Europe's most dynamic markets for the energy transition and infrastructure investment.

Troy Edwards, global co-head of ENRI, said: “Italy sits at the crossroads of Europe's energy transformation. With its rich pipeline of infrastructure projects, its ambitious decarbonization agenda and its strategic position along the Mediterranean energy corridor, it is a market where our clients increasingly need sophisticated, multidisciplinary and globally integrated advice. Umberto's arrival speaks directly to that need, pairing a leading reputation in the Italian market with the strength of our offering.”

The move confirms A&O Shearman's sustained growth trajectory in Italy: over the past two years, the firm has made four lateral partner hires and promoted three new partners.

Paolo Nastasi, managing partner of A&O Shearman in Italy, commented: “Umberto's appointment is part of our growth strategy in Italy, built on the development of internal talent and targeted lateral hires, following the addition of Diego Esposito and the promotion of Chiara De Luca and Francesca Croci. We continue to invest in areas that are strategic for our clients, focusing on professionals with significant expertise and a long-term career perspective, and to consolidate our position as the global firm of reference for their most complex transactions and matters. Adding a partner of Umberto's standing allows us to take another important step in this direction."

Umberto Antonelli said: “I am delighted to return to A&O Shearman. The Italian market is evolving rapidly, driven by investment in the energy transition and infrastructure development. The firm's global reach, the depth of its local expertise, and its strong commitment to Italy provide an outstanding platform to support clients across the full lifecycle of energy and infrastructure projects, helping them capitalize on new opportunities and navigate the changes reshaping the sector.”