Riccardo Baraldi is a veteran financial strategist, business advisor, and transformation leader with more than 40 years of experience across multinational corporations, private equity investments, and entrepreneurial ventures. He is the Founder & CEO of Advisory Partners Italy (TM), where he advises companies and investment funds on financial strategy, auditing, restructuring, and growth execution.
Riccardo currently serves on the Board of Directors of the International CFO Alliance (ICFOA) and remains closely engaged with ANDAF—Italy’s National Association of CFOs—as Assistant to the Presidency and long-standing board contributor. He is also a Board Member at Kairè Consulting, a firm specializing in HR and organizational development, and at Glasford International Italy, where he holds the role of Group CFO. He supports innovation initiatives as a certified Innovation Manager with the Italian Ministry of Made in Italy (formerly MISE), and contributes as an Economic Advisor to the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) on technical consultative panels.
In addition, Riccardo acts as Ambassador to the Club Uomini Gentili, an organization fostering leadership and ethical business practices. Across these roles, he applies his leadership in finance, HR, and operational strategy, gained from decades in top positions at firms such as Italchimici, RPC Group, Ikonisys, Waste Italia, and Coeclerici. His current focus includes supporting companies in integrating sustainability, financial performance, and digital innovation as core pillars of long-term growth.
What inspired you to pursue a career in finance or business leadership?
My skills in management and finance.
Who has been your biggest influence or mentor, and what did you learn from them?
The manager who most influenced my professional approach was Sergio Marchionne. A visionary leader in the automotive industry, he played a pivotal role in transforming Ferrari into the car brand with the highest stock market value. This achievement was driven by his dedication and the strength of his team.
What’s one life lesson or philosophy you live by, whether in work or life?
Mahatma Gandhi expressed ideas that have also shaped my thinking. One of his most powerful lessons is: ‘Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
What’s a book, quote, or concept that changed how you think?
Michael Porter is one of the most influential scholars of business strategy. I wrote my thesis on his book Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors, which laid the foundation for my future work
Outside of finance, what are your hobbies or interests that people might not expect?
I dedicate much of my time to traveling internationally to understand how different cultures think, live, and grow.
Please briefly describe your current role and responsibilities in your organisation.
I am an accountant and auditor, and have held the roles of CFO and HR Director for many years. After graduating from the Catholic University of Milan, I developed my professional experience both in Italy and abroad, working at various multinational companies including Tyco, Hoechst, Air Liquide, Marionnaud, and RPC. I later focused on entrepreneurial ventures and private equity-backed firms such as Recordati, Coeclerici, Waste Italia, TMCI, Italchimici, and Ikonisys, operating primarily in the environmental and chemical-pharmaceutical sectors.
Today, I serve on the Advisory Council of ANDAF and sit on the Board of Directors of ICFOA, the global association for CFOs.
As a professional, I also serve as a Fractional CFO for several Italian companies. I bring together the insight gained from extensive cross-sector experience with the strong curiosity that has driven me since the early years of my career. This combination enables me to tackle the emerging challenges at the intersection of finance and sustainability.
What are some milestones or achievements in your career that you’re particularly proud of?
See reply above
If you could give one piece of advice to a young finance professional starting out today, what would it be?
I would suggest investing his/her efforts 80% in soft skills and 20% in technical skills.
Why did you get involved with ICFOA?
I became involved with ICFOA through my long-standing membership with ANDAF, the Italian CFO Association, which plays an active role in supporting this global initiative.
How do you see ICFOA bridging the gap between Global North and Global South CFOs?
I hope it becomes the point of reference for finance and administrative management worldwide also for legislative purposes and for the training of the CFO profession.
What is one idea, project, or initiative you’d like to see ICFOA launch?
The CFO certification.
Coffee or tea?
Coffee
Excel or PowerPoint?
Excel
Books or podcasts?
Books
Early bird or night owl?
Both
If you weren’t in finance, what would you be doing?
World Traveller!