BRUSSELS — Public affairs specialist Mario Filipponi has joined pan-European business strategy and communications consultancy Boldt as a partner in Brussels.

Filipponi joins the firm from Teneo, where he was a managing director and advised executives from industries including digital, telecoms, entertainment, pharmaceutical, transport, automotive, IT, private equity and NGOs.

In his new role, Filipponi will advise clients on strategic communications issues, with a particular focus on antitrust, corporate communication and government affairs.

Filipponi started his career at the Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission, where he first worked in an antitrust unit, and then joined the policy and legislation units as part of the team in charge of reviewing the EU competition policy around vertical restraints.

He later moved in-house, where he spent 15 years holding senior legal and public affairs positions, including head of international affairs at Sky Italia, where he oversaw EU and domestic government affairs, and as assistant general counsel at Verizon, responsible for all antitrust matters outside of the US and for European affairs.

Boldt managing partner Jeremy Galbraith said the Brussels operation was set to see more than 50% revenue growth in 2023, with 35% year-on-year growth across the group: “I am very excited to welcome Mario as a new partner in Brussels to support our significant growth and demand from clients. Our team and clients will greatly benefit from his deep knowledge, great networks and experience.”

Other recent senior hires at Boldt include Conor Griffin, who joined earlier this summer from Bristol Myers Squibb to lead the expansion of the firm's European healthcare business.