Italy's Meloni wants woman to head state-controlled company for first time

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's state-controlled companies should have at least one leader who is a woman, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday, ahead of appointments at key firms such as ENI, Enel, Poste Italiane and Leonardo.

"The challenge is not how many women sit on a board of directors, the challenge is when will we have the first woman chief executive in a state-controlled company," Meloni said at an event in parliament.

"Because, I am telling you, it is one of my objectives," she added.

Meloni, 46, is Italy's first female prime minister.

Her right-wing government, which took office in October, is expected to decide on chairperson and CEO positions at major state-controlled companies by the end of the month, sources have said.

(Reporting by Alvise Armellini, editing by Kirsten Donovan)