Major General Michele RISI was born in Trieste, Italy in 1965. He began his military career by attending the “Nunziatella" Junior Military Academy. He was commissioned as an Infantry Second Lieutenant after graduating from the Italian Military Academy in 1985.

As career Mountain Infantry Officer (Alpini), Major General RISI has served in key leadership positions at the tactical, operational and strategic levels of the Italian military, NATO and the United Nations. This includes Company Commander in the Operation ONUMOZ in Mozambique, Chief of Staff of the Kabul Multinational Brigade (2005) in ISAF, Chief Plans of the Strategic Military Cell - Department for Peace

Keeping Operations, New York - during the Lebanese crisis of 2006 and Commander of ITALFOR XVII and RC-Capital Battle Group 3, Operation ISAF in Afghanistan (2008). Significant staff assignments within the Italian Army General Staff include serving as Chief, Force Planning Development and Integration Branch and as the Chief of the Land Transformation Department.

As Brigadier General he commanded the “Julia" Alpine Brigade and the Multi-National Land Force Command located in Udine, Italy. While deployed with the Julia Brigade in 2015, he was also the Commander of the Train and Advise Command-West (TAAC-West) in the Operation Resolute Support, Herat, Afghanistan. He served as Defence Advisor to Italian Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council from 2016 to 2019 in Bruxelles.

From 2019 to 2020, he has been KFOR Commander mission in Kosovo.

On 25th January 2021 Major General RISI has been appointed deputy Commander of the Alpine Troops.

From the 20th of October 2022, he was the Commander of “Vittorio Veneto" Division – Multinational Division South, in Florence.

From the 26th of June 2023 to the 15th of October 2023, he served as Deputy Chief of Cabinet of the Ministry of Defence.

His military education includes the Italian Army Application School, the Italian Army Command and Staff Course and the US Army Command and General Staff Course at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, United States. He holds a university degree in Strategic Sciences from the University of Turin and an Advanced Master Degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Turin. He speaks fluent English and French. His military awards and decorations include the Military Order of Italy, two Italian Army Meritorious Service Cross, the Order of the Italian Republic, two US Legion of Merit, the Order of Merit of the French Republic, two French Medals of Defence, the Portuguese Silver Cross Medal, the Norwegian Silver Defence medal. He has earned the Italian Military Ski, Mountain-Climbing and Mountain Combat Instructor Badge and the Italian Parachutist Badge.

From the 16th of October 2023, he is Director of the Defence Reform Task Force of the Ministry of Defence.

From the 26th of July 2024 he is the Italian Army's Mountain Troops.

Major General RISI and his wife Cathryn Crompton live in Rome. Their son Marco Cristiano is currently U.S. Paratrooper Artillery Officer Army of Anchorage.​

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