Dario Item

Dario Item (born June 28, 1972) is a Swiss and Antiguan and Barbudan diplomat and lawyer. He is the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Antigua and Barbuda to Spain, the Principality of Monaco, and the Principality of Liechtenstein. He is Antigua and Barbuda's permanent representative to the UNWTO. He has supported investment initiatives in Antigua and Barbuda, with reported contributions exceeding $100 million. He also released documents related to Credit Suisse’s AT1 bonds that received international media coverage, including from the Financial Times, which described the publication as significant in the context of European financial reporting.

Biography

Dario Item was born into a Swiss family with historical roots in the municipalities of Bonaduz and Malans, located in the Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. In the early 19th century, the family relocated to Naples during the period of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Historical accounts suggest that members of the Item family were associated with Swiss regiments serving in the military of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Vincenzo Item, an ancestor, is reported to have received military honors for his role in the Battle of Gaeta (1860–1861). Another ancestor, Aurelio Item, has been linked to the discovery of the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii, a site that is sometimes referred to as "Villa Item" in historical references.

Education

Dario Item completed his secondary education in Lugano before pursuing higher education at the University of Geneva, followed by further academic studies at the Universities of Parma, Ferrara, Teramo, and Genoa in Italy. He earned a law degree in 1996 and a degree in political science in 2004. He subsequently obtained a master’s degree in trust law in 2005 and another in legal psychology and the psychopathology of criminal conduct in 2006. He also holds a PhD in criminal law and an LL.M. in international financial crimes.

In 1998, Item passed the bar examination at the Court of Appeals of the Canton of Ticino in Lugano. He became a certified public notary in 1999 and, in 2002, completed the qualifying examination to practice law in Italy.

Career

Since 1998, Dario Item has practiced as an international lawyer, specializing in areas such as trust law, criminal law, banking law, diplomatic law, and consular law.

In 2015, he expanded his professional practice by opening a branch of his law firm in London. In 2016, Item joined the diplomatic service of Antigua and Barbuda. He was first appointed as Consul General and later became Head of Mission at the Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda in Madrid in 2018.

In addition to his legal and diplomatic work, Item has authored academic publications focusing on trust law, banking and anti-money laundering legislation, and criminal law.

Credit Suisse case

In the aftermath of the Credit Suisse financial crisis, which led to the write-down of CHF 16 billion in AT1 bonds, Dario Item contributed to public discourse by publishing previously undisclosed documents on Antigua.news, a local media outlet in Antigua and Barbuda, on May 15, 2023.

These disclosures included the contents of regulatory orders issued by FINMA on March 19 and March 22, 2023, which Item argued contradicted earlier statements from FINMA, the Swiss government, the Swiss National Bank, and Credit Suisse leadership.

The documents and commentary received international media attention and were cited by outlets including the ''Financial Times'', ''Reuters'', ''Finews'', and ''El Español'', among others. ''Financial Times'' Corporate Finance Editor Robert Smith described the reporting as “one of the most consequential European banking scoops of the year.” In a follow-up article, the outlet stated that Item “got hold of the Swiss smoking gun and scooped the world’s financial press.”

Item continued publishing material related to the case in subsequent months. On October 3, 2023, he authored an article titled "Credit Suisse AT1s Case: The Unspoken Things", which criticized the transparency of a March 19, 2023 press conference and addressed aspects of the UBS-Credit Suisse merger. This report was covered by ''Corriere del Ticino'', ''Inside Paradeplatz'', and ''El País''.

On November 3 and 4, 2023, Item published two additional articles. The first, “Credit Suisse AT1 Bonds: The Missed Opportunity”, used internal documents to criticize the treatment of AT1 bondholders. The second, “CSG AT1s CASE: Class Action In the U.S. Against Credit Suisse, Its Officers and PricewaterhouseCoopers”, reported on the filing of a class action lawsuit in the United States. Both articles were later cited by ''Die Weltwoche'', ''Corriere del Ticino'', ''Inside Paradeplatz'' and ''El País''.

On March 3, 2024, Item published further material in an article titled "Credit Suisse AT1: FINMA Asks Court Not to Show Files to Plaintiffs", presenting documents that suggested FINMA attempted to limit plaintiffs’ access to information through court procedures. This report was referenced by the ''Financial Times'', ''El País'', ''Corriere del Ticino'', ''Finews'', and ''Tages-Anzeiger''.

On September 5, 2024, Antigua.news published another article by Item titled “AT1 Case: Credit Suisse Relationship Managers Lied to Clients, Too”. The article disclosed internal communications suggesting that Credit Suisse employed a strategy to reassure clients and minimize capital flight, allegedly misrepresenting the bank’s financial state. This report was cited by ''Finews'', ''Corriere del Ticino'', ''Inside Paradeplatz'', ''Economia Digital'', and other outlets.

International media outlets have identified Item as a key source in the public investigation and reporting of the AT1 bond case. According to ''Finews'': “...in the heated legal battle concerning Credit Suisse's AT1 bonds, the British paper was repeatedly outpaced by the obscure ‘Antigua News’: Time and again, the news portal on the Caribbean island reported faster and was exceptionally well-informed about the negotiations.”

The media outlet where Item’s articles appeared, Antigua.news, was named Best Online News Media of the Year 2023 for the Caribbean. The award was reaffirmed in 2024.

Philanthropy

In addition to his diplomatic and legal work, Dario Item has participated in philanthropic efforts, particularly in support of Antigua and Barbuda’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a member of a caucus composed of European-based diplomats involved in humanitarian and relief initiatives. Item has also collaborated with the Rotary Club of Antigua and Barbuda, contributing to various community development and charitable projects on the island.

Awards and recognition

* Knight Grand Cross – Order of Saint Michael of the Wing
* Grand Collar – Order of the Eagle of Georgia
* Grand Collar – Order of Merit of the Portuguese Royal House
* Knight Grand Cross – Order of Emperor Menelik II
* Knight Grand Cross – Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa
* Great Star – R.O.C. of the Georgian Kingdom
* Senator Grand Badge – Order of Queen Tamara (1918)
* Caballero – Órden del Tercio de Extranjeros
* Caballero – Maestranza de Caballería de Castilla
* Medal – Real Cuerpo de la Nobleza del Principado de Asturias
* Medal – Cruz de Distinción del Ejército de Asturias
* Medal – 1300° A. Proclamación del Rey Don Pelayo
* Medal – Regimiento de Infantería Asturias n. 31

Personal life

Dario Item is fluent in Italian, French, German, English and Spanish. Dario Item has been married since 2000. He is a father of 4 children.

References

External links

Official website

Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda in Madrid Official website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Item, Dario
Living people
Ambassadors of Antigua and Barbuda to Spain
Ambassadors of Antigua and Barbuda to Switzerland
Ambassadors of Antigua and Barbuda to Monaco
Ambassadors of Antigua and Barbuda to Liechtenstein
Permanent representatives of Antigua and Barbuda to the World Trade Organization
Permanent representatives Antigua and Barbuda to the World Tourism Organization
1972 births