I was born in 1961 in Genoa, Italy and studied Physics at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau in Germany. and received my PhD in 1988. In 2004 I was appointed Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and since 2007 I am the South African Research Chair for Quantum Information Processing and Communication.
I have co-authored a monograph on “The Theory of Open Quantum Systems”, that was published in 2002, reprinted as paperback in 2007, and that was translated in Russian. I am a member of the Editorial Board of the journals “Open Systems and Information Dynamics” and “Scientific Reports”.
In 2004, I joined the Rotary Club of Durban Umhlatuzana and held various portfolios and was President in the Rotary Year 2007/2008. I am married to Monique Labat and we enjoy playing golf, being in the bush and hiking together. My other interests include Krav Maga and Astanga yoga.