Born in Imperia on the 15th of January 1948. Married to Maria Teresa Verda, art history teacher, and father of two, Pier Carlo and Lucia. Graduated in Law at the University of Genoa. General Manager of INPDAP.

Member of Parliament for the last four legislatures, he was elected in 2008 in the 10th constituency (Liguria) for the Popolo della Libertàparty; in 2006 in both the Liguria and Puglia constituencies, in the Marche region and in Puglia as the top candidate on the electoral list of the Forza Italiaparty in the proportional representation elections; in 1996 in the lists of the Polo per le Libertàin the Liguria 2 constituency.

On May, 2008 he was appointed Minister for the Economic Development in the 4th Berlusconi government.

From 2006 to March 2008 he was President of the Parliamentary Committee for the Intelligence and Security Services and for State Secret Control.

In the third Berlusconi government he was Minister of Productive Activities.

In the second Berlusconi government he was initially Minister of Internal Affairs (from 11 June, 2001) and then Minister for the Implementation of the Government Programme (from 31 June, 2003).

From 1998 to 2001 he was entrusted with the National Coordination of the Forza Italiaparty.