No rest for the provocative

Date: 18/07/1996

The deputy director-general of DGI, Gianluigi Giola, is also thinking about jumping on the consultancy bandwagon in retirement.

After 38 years of service, he is not relishing the prospect of watching developments from a distance, and says he does not exclude making himself available for “advisory work” in the future.

Giola reckons he has been involved in more than 200 negotiations with third countries during a career which gave rise to a phrase which became a Giola trademark when the discussions got tough.

“I don't want to be provocative, but. . .” he would begin, signalling that this was precisely what he wanted to be.