Meet the Chairs - Antonio Chiesa

How does FCE work?  Antonio Chiesa, the Compliance Working Group's Chair, shares his insights into the team's priorities for the year ahead, what makes the role rewarding, and how a mandate-driven approach to project selection ensures the group's efforts translate into real, practical value for FCE members and the industry at large.

Antonio, what is the Compliance Working Group and what does it focus on?
The Compliance Working Group operates on a project basis, focusing on the clarification of specific national regulations in EU Member States. Its objective is to ensure these regulations accurately reflect how fleet cards function and provide a clear and predictable framework within which fleet card companies can conduct their business.
A key focus of the group's work is to help national policymakers understand the purpose of fleet cards, how they operate, and the business model that underpins them. The group also highlights the role fleet cards play in facilitating seamless cross-border transport across Europe, thereby supporting the efficient movement of goods and services and contributing to the broader European economy.

You have recently been re-appointed as the Group's chair. What are your goals for the upcoming year?
The goal is always to complete the projects we undertake within the agreed timeframe and to deliver clear, practical outcomes that work for both the fleet card industry and policymakers.

What is the best thing about this role?
Since the work we undertake is project-based, there is always a clear objective. I enjoy working with a close-knit team to deliver tangible outcomes that genuinely benefit our industry.
As Chair of the Working Group, my role is to help the project team navigate the challenges that inevitably arise during the course of any project. This involves fostering collaboration, maintaining momentum, and focusing on pragmatic solutions that meet the needs of all project team members while also addressing the expectations and concerns of the policymakers with whom we engage.

How do the Working Group's activities help FCE members?
The Compliance Working Group operates on the basis of clear mandates from the FCE Board. This means that we only embark on a project when a sufficient number of members consider it to be of real value to the industry.
By helping to ensure that fleet card companies can function within a clear and predictable regulatory framework, our work delivers concrete benefits not only to FCE members but also to the wider ecosystem in which they operate. In doing so, we contribute to greater legal certainty, facilitate cross-border transport and commerce, and support the efficient functioning of the European economy.