Donato V. Berardi

About Donato V. Berardi

As General Counsel of F.W. Webb Company, a multi-billion dollar privately held organization, I oversee all legal, compliance, and governance functions across 16 divisions and more than 100 locations. I advise the executive team on strategic risk, operational decision-making, commercial strategy, and long-term corporate objectives.Before joining F.W. Webb, I served as Head of U.S. Legal at BICO Group AB, a publicly traded life sciences holding company. My legal career spans corporate counseling, commercial transactions, compliance, risk mitigation, and complex negotiations. I have acted as a trusted consultant and advisor to leadership teams navigating transformational initiatives, acquisitions, regulatory requirements, and evolving industry demands.I am committed to building high-integrity, business-focused legal frameworks that enable growth while protecting the company’s people, assets, and reputation.Key areas of expertise: corporate governance, compliance, commercial contracting, risk management, M&A, policy development, data privacy, intellectual property, and dispute resolution.

Experience

1. General Counsel

   F.W. Webb Company

   Jan 2025 — Present

   General Counsel and member of the Executive Leadership Team for a multi-billion dollar, privately held wholesale distributor of building and industrial supply products, operating 16 divisions across more than 100 locations.Core Responsibilities & Impact:•Serve as a strategic advisor to the President, COO and executive leadership, shaping enterprise risk strategy, guiding operational decision-making, and supporting long-term corporate vision and growth initiatives.• Provide executive oversight of all legal aspects of business acquisitions and land development, including due diligence, zoning and land-use strategy, environmental compliance, and negotiation of high-value real estate transactions.• Oversee corporate governance and entity structure across the organization, ensuring disciplined management of intercompany LLCs and alignment with regulatory and operational objectives.• Lead negotiation and governance of the company’s most material contracts—vendor agreements, commercial transactions, government contracts, and procurement activities—ensuring strategic alignment and risk mitigation.• Direct all real estate and financing closings, safeguarding legal integrity, financial accuracy, and operational continuity for complex transactions.• Architect and implement enterprise-wide legal frameworks, including compliance programs, PCI and data-security protocols, and risk-mitigation initiatives that support scalable growth.• Counsel key business units on regulatory, employment, tax, and policy matters, ensuring informed decision-making and organizational resilience.• Oversee litigation strategy and manage external counsel across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring consistent, cost-effective, and outcomes-driven dispute resolution.

Education

• Massachusetts School of Law

  JD

• Cornell Law School

  Certificate, Business Law

• Suffolk University - Sawyer Business School

  BSBA, Finance

• Southern New Hampshire University

  MBA