Latest News

Sources: Italy refuses to tighten restrictions on Chinese shareholders when Pirelli calls for it

Sources said that the Italian government has refused to heed Marco Tronchetti Provera, Pirelli's vice-chairman and executive vice-chairman's request for tighter restrictions on Pirelli's Chinese investor.

Sinochem, a Chinese state-owned company, is Pirelli's biggest investor. Sinochem holds 37% of Pirelli while Tronchetti Provera owns 27.3% through its Camfin vehicle. Tronchetti-Provera, the company's CEO for over three decades, is Tronchetti-Provera.

Sinochem and Pirelli are at odds, with Camfin claiming that Sinochem's substantial holding is a threat to Pirelli’s ambitions of expanding its business in the United States.

Washington has cracked down on Chinese automotive technology by banning software and hardware that are controlled by Chinese companies from being used in U.S. roads.

Two sources with knowledge of the matter claim that Tronchetti Provera has lobbied the government to take additional action to limit Chinese influence at Pirelli by strengthening the restrictions Rome imposed in 2023 on Sinochem through the golden powers rules designed to protect strategic assets.

Sources, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the issue, said that the administration of Prime Minister Giorgia Mello has, so far, rejected these calls.

Rome's cautious approach is partly due to concerns that it will rely too heavily on its golden power, according to one source. This comes at a time where Italy faces a dispute with UniCredit regarding the way the bank uses this tool when vetting financial deals.

All parties refused to comment.

Last November, the government launched an investigation into whether Sinochem executives' presence on the board of the tyremaker was in violation of these restrictions.

Second source: The government is currently conducting an investigation and will first check to see if there are any violations of the existing restrictions before taking a more aggressive stance against Sinochem.

FAR APART

Emanuele Orsini is the leader of Italian business lobby Confindustria, of which Pirelli has been a prominent member. He called on the Italian government to defend Pirelli's autonomy.

Orsini stated on Wednesday that "part of Pirelli's shares, which are now in the Chinese government's hands, do not approve the balance sheets, and therefore, Pirelli is jammed up."

Orsini said in a previous statement on Tuesday that Sinochem should reduce its stake in Formula One tire supplier Pirelli below 25%.

Camfin Sinochem have failed to reach an agreement on governance.

The Chinese company called a Pirelli proposal to solve problems "seriously unjust", while Camfin claimed that Sinochem’s approach might lead to the breaking of the shareholder agreement between the two biggest investors.

If the agreement is dropped, Sinochem, Camfin, and other shareholders will be able to present their own slates for Pirelli's annual general meeting (AGM), with one of these parties potentially taking control of Pirelli’s board.

Tronchetti Provera, according to two separate sources, was counting on additional government support via golden powers in case of a final confrontation with Sinochem during the AGM.

Pirelli continues to post good results, despite the ongoing challenges in the automotive industry. In the first quarter of this year, its net profit increased by 27% while revenues rose by 4%. Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte and Giulio Piccari, with additional reporting from Angelo Amante and Giselda Vasgnoni. Editing by Giselda Varnini and Keith Weir.

(source: Reuters)