Geodis has completed the renewal of its senior management structure in Italy with the appointment of Sandro Cappiello as chief executive officer of Contract Logistics, announced on 27 January 2026. The move forms part of a broader organisational overhaul launched by the group following the arrival of Maurizio Bortolan as Country managing director, a role he assumed on 1 October 2025, and is aimed at strengthening the operational and strategic capabilities of the Italian subsidiary in a market environment marked by growing logistical complexity and service integration.
The reorganisation covers the entire scope of Geodis’ activities in Italy and directly involves its three main business lines: Freight Forwarding for international transport, Road Transport for international road and intermodal services, and Contract Logistics for warehousing management and national distribution. The new structure is designed to support what the company describes as a new phase, focused on the definition and approval of an industrial plan that identifies the Italian market as a strategic hub for the group’s development.
According to the company, the industrial plan is built around One Face, an organisational model intended to overcome the traditional separation between business lines and present the group to the market as a single, integrated partner. The aim is to offer end-to-end logistics solutions capable of coherently linking international transport, national distribution and warehouse flow management, in response to the needs of industrial and distribution operators increasingly oriented towards flexible and coordinated supply chains.
Within this framework, the appointment of Sandro Cappiello to lead Contract Logistics plays a central role. With around 20 years of experience in the logistics sector, Cappiello has developed his career in international environments across English-speaking countries, Germany and Serbia, building expertise in contexts characterised by strong organisational transformation dynamics. After an initial period in logistics, he worked in the industrial sector for companies operating between eastern and western Europe, before joining Geodis as Transformation Director. He subsequently served as general manager, contributing to internal change processes, and has now been appointed chief executive officer of Geodis Contract Logistics in Italy.
His mandate comes at a time when Contract Logistics is expected to play an increasingly integrated role alongside the other operating segments, both in terms of warehouse design and the coordination of national and international distribution flows. The company highlights Cappiello’s international experience and his ability to adapt in multicultural environments as key assets in supporting the evolution of the organisational and operational model set out in the new industrial plan.
The completion of the management team confirms two long-serving executives at the helm of the other business areas. Daniele Bernardi remains responsible for Road Transport in Italy and brings more than 25 years of experience in land transport. During his career at Geodis, he has contributed to the development of intermodality, supporting the consolidation of several rail connections that now form a structural element of the company’s offering. His remit has also included the introduction of specialised services, such as gas transport, as part of a strategy to diversify transport solutions.
Simone Sartini continues to lead the Freight Forwarding division. With the company since 1999, he became general manager in 2016 and chief executive officer in 2021. His career has been marked by steady progression within the organisation and by the management of key transformation phases that have shaped the positioning of international transport activities, now increasingly integrated with the group’s wider logistics operations.
