Sandro Pappalardo

He began his career at the age of 19 as an Army Officer. After becoming a pilot in the Army Aviation Corps, he held various positions and later served as a flight instructor. He also attended the Night Vision Goggles Instructor Pilot course in the United States, obtaining the related certification. He took part in several international missions, including UNIFIL and Leonte in Lebanon, and ISAF in Afghanistan. He served as National Vice President of COCER (the national military representation body). He holds a Master’s Degree in Law and a Degree in Public Administration, as well as several postgraduate Master’s programs. He has also earned numerous licenses and certifications. He served as Regional Government Minister of Sicily, with responsibility for Tourism, Sports, and Entertainment. He was a Member of the Board of Directors of ENIT – the Italian National Tourist Board, now ENIT S.p.A., with responsibility for regional relations. He also served as Advisor to the Minister of Defense for Parliamentary Relations. In January 2025, he was appointed President of ITA Airways. He has been awarded several decorations, including the Gold Aeronautical Long Air Navigation Medal, the Mauritian Medal of Military Merit, the Commemorative Cross for the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission, the United Nations Medal for service with UNIFIL, and the NATO Medal for the ISAF operation.