KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

   ICCEP 2025 will host world-renowned experts in power systems for renewable power sources as keynote speakers


Paolo Perani
ABB, Italy
Enabling the Energy Transition: The Strategic Role of the Electric Network from an Industry Perspective

Paolo Perani has been with ABB since 1993 and currently covers the role of Sustainability Manager for the Electrification ‐ Distribution Solutions (ELDS) Division. In this role, he is responsible for driving product sustainability across the ELDS portfolio and value chain, and for leading initiatives to reduce carbon emissions at ELDS manufacturing sites worldwide. He also works closely with key customers, engaging with them on sustainability strategies and solutions. In addition to his responsibilities at ABB, Paolo holds prominent positions in several industry associations:
1. He is Vice President of ANIE Energia, the Italian association of electrical and electronic manufacturers, where he also contributes as an active member of Confindustria's European Task Force.
2. He serves as Vice President and Executive Committee Member of T&D Europe, the European association representing manufacturers of medium and high voltage equipment, where he closely monitors EU energy policies and regulatory developments.
Paolo holds a master degree in Electrical Engineering from the Politecnico di Milano. His international career has spanned Italy, South Africa, and the Middle East, where he has held various leadership roles in Marketing & Sales and manufacturing within the medium voltage sector
 
 

Massimo Petrini
Terna, Italy
Challenges and Solutions of Power Grids with significant penetration of renewable power sources

Massimo Petrini received his Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1990 from the Politecnico di Torino, Italy, where he was appointed Expert in the Subject Electrical Measurements in 1995. He has been working for Terna since its foundation. Until 2022, he led all the teams that over the years developed and managed the projects, from concept to decommissioning, passing through specification, design, validation, installation, operation and maintenance, for the substation protection, automation, control and monitoring systems, driving the transition from electromechanical to digital technology. Since 2022 he is head of the team Technology Coordination Support, dealing with the technical-economic analysis of the life cycle of the High Voltage grid components in operation and the identification of the actions to optimize their useful life, to monitor their behaviour, to prevent faults and to review their projects after a failure, in addition managing studies of new scenarios, of the technical feasibility of non-conventional and cross-cutting projects, focusing on their functional integration, efficiency, safety, sustainability, return on investment, furthermore handling the technical scouting of the industry and TSOs, the interactions with regulatory and pre-regulations bodies, universities and research institutions, supporting also the company internal training activities. One of the new fields under study by his team pertains to the floating offshore substations (FOSS) to collect the energy produced by Renewable Energy Sources in the marine environment. Author of numerous papers, since 2005 Massimo is a member of Cigre, where he held various positions and today convenes the International Working Group 'Protection Automation and Control Systems Asset Management'.

Chiara Vergine
Terna, Italy
 Chiara Vergine has a background in electronic engineering and an MBA from LUISS Business School (Rome, IT) Master fron University La Sapienza Management dell'Energia e dell'Ambiente (Rome, IT), Master Quality Esperti in Sistemi di Gestione Aziendale Qualità, Sicurezza, Ambiente, Energia from UNIFORM (Rome, IT). She has worked, at Terna Rete Italia since 2003, the company that manages Italy's electricity transmission network, where she has held several leadership roles. Since 2025, she has been Head of Operation & Maintenance for the North Italy Department. Before that, she led teams in Real Time Operation (2022‐2024), Medium and Long Term Operation (2021‐2022), and Regional Control for North-East Italy (2019‐2021). From 2010 to 2019, she managed the Grid Connection and Grid Planning departments. Chiara has experience working on research and innovation projects, especially those involving renewable energy integration. She has contributed to international projects connecting Italy with Tunisia, Algeria, and Malta, and has taken part in European initiatives like FlexPlan and Osmose. She has been an active member of CIGRE since 2014 and currently chairs the C1 group for the Italian section. She is also president of the Trentino-Alto Adige section of AEIT and is involved in important technical committees on network connections. With over 17 years of experience in energy-related meetings and conferences across Europe and the Mediterranean, Chiara has built strong expertise and has published several scientific papers.

Pier Luigi Zanni
Terna, Italy
 Pier Luigi Zanni joined ENEL S.p.A. on January 10, 1994. In the early stages of his career, he gained extensive experience in the operation and maintenance of overhead power lines and electrical substations at high and extra-high voltage levels within the electricity transmission network in Northern Italy. Following the establishment of TERNA S.p.A. in 2000, he held various leadership positions until 2021, notably serving as Head of the Design and Implementation Units within the North-West Territorial Directorate. In this role, he was responsible for the design, authorization, and construction of power lines and substations across the regions of Sardinia, Piedmont, Liguria, Valle D'Aosta, and Lombardy. Since 2021, he has been the Technical Area Manager of the Northern Department at TERNA S.p.A., where his responsibilities include overseeing project design, managing specialized testing conducted by suppliers, and coordinating Asset Management activities for the Operational Units of the Northern Department based in Lombardy. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, obtained in 1992, and earned the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI) in 2019. He has been registered with the National Order of Engineers in Bergamo since 2001.