Graduated in law at the University of Turin, he started a diplomatic career in 1961. Between 1964 and 1972 he worked as Permanent Representative of Italy for the CEE in Brussels and then became Consul of Italy in Bern. After being Head Secretary of the General Direction of the Economics Affairs, between 1972 and 1976, he became First Counsellor of the Permanent Representation of Italy for OCSE in Paris, and afterwards for the Italian Embassy in Paris until 1979. Plenipotentiary Minister of Second Class in 1980 and of First Class in 1985, he became Head of the Cabinet for Foreign Affairs in 1985. Appointed Ambassador in 1987, he was General Secretary of Presidency of the Ministers Council between 1989 and 1991, then Ambassador in Paris from 1991 to 1995 and Permanent Representative of Italy for the European Union in Brussels since the same year. In December 2002 he became President of the UniCredit Private Banking.