Michele Gherardini has 15 years of experience at the intersection of food law, consumer protection, and sustainability. He began his career as a legal advisor in top-tier international law firms, where he specialized in European and international competition law, food law, and consumer regulation. In this role, he supported multinational clients—particularly in the food and beverage sector—on matters ranging from product compliance and advertising claims to food safety, labeling, and international trade regulations.

Building on his legal expertise and industry insight, Michele transitioned into the corporate world by joining Perfetti Van Melle, one of the world's largest manufacturers of confectionery products. Over the years, he has held roles of increasing responsibility, currently serving as Group Regulatory Affairs Associate Director responsible of the regulatory sustainability branch with a global remit.

In his current capacity, Michele leads complex, multi-jurisdictional regulatory and sustainability initiatives, supporting global product launches and ensuring alignment with evolving legislative frameworks, including green claims, packaging regulations, EPR schemes, and the EU Green Deal agenda.

A trusted advisor to senior leadership, Michele is known for combining legal rigor with strategic foresight, enabling business teams to innovate responsibly while navigating a rapidly evolving regulatory environment. His leadership contributes to building resilient compliance frameworks that align with corporate sustainability goals and respond to increasing stakeholder expectations for transparency and environmental accountability.