Rome, 21 May 2025 – Haliéus has renewed the appointments of its Board of Directors, marking a significant step forward in strengthening its path as a Third Sector Entity and consolidating its commitment to promoting the cooperative model at the international level.
The new Board reflects an expansion in the representation of cooperative enterprises associated with Legacoop, thanks to the inclusion of new members, while maintaining balanced participation across various sectors and regions. The newly appointed board includes representatives from Legacoop Nazionale (Francesca Ottolenghi), Legacoop Agroalimentare (Elena Ghezzi), Legacoop Emilia Romagna (Roberta Trovarelli), Legacoop Puglia (Vittoria De Luca), Soc. Coop. Culture (Paola Autore), Fairtrade Italia (Paolo Pastore), CADIAI soc.coop (Michela Patuzzo), Consorzio Mediterraneo (Sandro Cerasi), and 4Form (Annamaria Ricci). The participation of supporting member as AITR – Italian Association for Responsible Tourism, represented by its president Maurizio Davolio has been confirmed.
During the meeting, the Board elected Paolo Pastore, who currently serves as Director of Fairtrade Italia, as the new President of Haliéus. He will lead the Association through a phase of strengthened activity, aiming to broaden its impact in priority sectors and geographic areas, and to promote cooperation as a tool for sustainable development, inclusion, and participation.
On the occasion of the handover, Francesca Ottolenghi, former president of Haliéus, expressed her satisfaction with the shared journey that has led to both consolidation and openness to new realities, while preserving a strong connection to the cooperative identity.
"I am very pleased with the renewal of the presidency and firmly believe that this new phase represents an important opportunity to further strengthen our path toward becoming a fully recognized Third Sector Entity (ETS). I am confident that, under the leadership of the new president, Paolo Pastore, we will continue to pursue ambitious goals and carry forward our values with renewed enthusiasm and determination."
This new governance is the result of a growth process that enables broader and more structured representation of the Italian cooperative movement, allowing Haliéus to pursue its international mission with greater effectiveness, enhance the experience of its members, and develop strategic partnerships in the contexts where it operates.
With this new structure, Haliéus reaffirms its role as a reference point for international development cooperation, continuing to promote the cooperative model as a driver for a more equitable and sustainable future.
The entire Association extends its sincere thanks to Francesca Ottolenghi for her work over the past years, carried out with commitment, vision, and dedication, and warmly wishes the new president the very best in this new role.
