Paolo Rocca

Paolo Rocca
Born	1952 Milan, Italy
Occupation	Businessman
Known for	CEO of Techint Group, Chairman and CEO of Tenaris, Chairman of Ternium

Paolo Rocca (born 1952) is a businessman of Argentine and Italian nationality, currently holding the position of CEO at the Techint Group. This conglomerate includes companies such as Tenaris, Ternium, alongside other firms operating in the engineering, construction, and energy industries. Additionally, Rocca is the chairman and CEO of Tenaris and serves as chairman of Ternium. As reported by Forbes in July 2024, his estimated net worth stands at US$5.0 billion.

Early life

Paolo Rocca was born in Milan, Italy. He is the son of Roberto Rocca, who is Honorary Chairman of Techint, and the grandson of Agostino Rocca, the founder of the industrial group. He earned a degree in political science from the University of Milan and completed Harvard Business School’s PMD program in 1985.

Career

Rocca began his professional journey as assistant to the executive director at the World Bank. He joined the Techint Group in 1985 as assistant to the chairman of the board. By 1990, he advanced to become executive vice-president of Siderca.

Techint

Since 2002, Paolo Rocca has been serving as CEO for both Tenaris and Techint. He also holds chairmanship roles at Tamsa and Ternium and is a director at Techint Financial Corporation. Under his guidance, Techint has expanded significantly through acquisitions across Latin America and internationally, now operating in more than 20 countries.

Notebook case

In November 2018, Rocca faced indictment in Argentina related to the notebook case, which involved accusations of bribery connected to compensation following the nationalization of SIDOR by the Venezuelan government. However, by April 2019, Argentine judicial authorities dismissed all charges against him pending ongoing investigations.

Boards and awards

Rocca is a member of the executive committee of the World Steel Association and served as its chairman from 2009 to 2010. His experience includes participation on the International Advisory Committee of the New York Stock Exchange as well as on the advisory board for the private sector at the Inter-American Development Bank. His distinctions include receiving the Orden Mexicana del Aguila Azteca (2004), Fundación Konex’s Platinum Konex Prize for Industry Businessmen (2008), and being named “Steelmaker of the Year” by the Association of Iron and Steel Technology (2011). In recognition of his leadership that enhanced Tenaris's competitiveness, Columbia Business School honored him with the "Deming Cup" in 2013.