It is with great sadness that we have learned of Professor Alberto Mazzoni’s abrupt passing on 6 May 2019 at the age of 76. As a law scholar, an academic and a professional of global reputation, Alberto Mazzoni was an authority in commercial law, comparative private law and a pioneer in both international and domestic commercial arbitration.

Born in 1942, Alberto earned his law degrees from the University of Pisa in 1965 and the University of Chicago Law School the following year. He then had a bright academic career, both in Italy and abroad, and was appointed Professor of Commercial Law at the prestigious Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, where he will be remembered for his academic excellence.

Alberto Mazzoni

Alberto possessed an incredibly deep knowledge of transnational commercial law, a subject that will always be associated with his name. Through his research, Alberto authored countless publications on topics of international trade and insolvency law. He also authored, co-authored or served as a member of the editorial board of some of the most prominent Italian legal journals.

As a testimony of his recognized scientific background and international legal culture, Alberto represented Italy at several UNCITRAL Working Groups on transnational insolvency and e-commerce, showing a great sharpness of mind and capacity to quickly grasp the relevance of new legal developments.

Alberto was also an outstanding professional in legal practice. Over the years, he served as a member of the Arbitration Council (‘Consiglio Arbitrale’) of the Milan Chamber of Arbitration and the Collegio dei Probiviri of the Italian Stock Exchange. He served as an arbitrator in many arbitral proceedings under the Rules of ICC, the Swiss Chambers, the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce and the Milan Chamber of Arbitration, as well as in numerous ad hoc arbitrations. He founded Mazzoni Regoli Pagni law firm where he was a partner until January 2019. At the time of his passing, Alberto was of counsel at Gattai Minoli Agostinelli & Partners in Milano.

We will particularly remember Alberto for his unevaluable and generous contribution to the unification process of private law led by UNIDROIT, where he served as President of the Governing Council. During his presidency, the following main achievements were accomplished: the UNIDROIT’s Legislative Guide on Intermediated Securities, the revised 2016 version of the Principles of International Commercial Contracts and the Legal Guide on Contract Farming. As Professor Ignacio Tirado said in his touching tribute, Alberto ‘cherished every moment of his time in office: he loved Unidroit, he loved the idea of Unidroit, he loved the potential of Unidroit’. Alberto was convinced that commerce, ‘far from being vulgar, far from being mundain, is precisely the place where potential for peace and prosperity lies’ and that commercial law could serve this purpose.

On a more personal note, remembering Alberto’s most recent public contributions offered to our professional community, I fondly thank Alberto for his passionate conclusive remarks during the presentation of the 2016 UNIDROIT Principles at the Milan Chamber of Arbitration in July 2017, and for his inspiring keynote speech given at the occasion of the projection of the documentary ‘SCC – Arbitrating for Peace’ in Milan in September 2018.

We will all remember Alberto as an iconic international scholar, as a model for any commercial arbitration practitioner – and especially as a man with a kind heart and profound commitment.