Testata: .it Italian Trade
Despite the current global economic cycle, the commitment of the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce South East (IACC SE) to continue assisting the local Italian business community has been nevertheless reinforced by increasing both the involvement of American companies in Italy and the territorial presence of IACC SE in the Southeastern United States and Italy.
On October 28, 2010, IACC SE opened its first Italian desk in Milan, and by all accounts the event was a success. National entrepreneurs and business leaders, associations, governmental and public institutions participated in the inaugural evening that enjoyed international attention.
For the opening of the representative office in Italy, the Chamber hosted a cocktail reception at the prestigious Terrazza Martini, owned by the Bacardi-Martini Group. located in the same office building of IACC SE – Piazza Diaz, 7, overlooking Piazza Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
More than 150 invitees participated that night: from companies and trade associations to representatives of municipal, provincial and regional authorities of both the North West of Italy, with the delegations of Lombardia and Piemonte and the North East of Italy with the delegation from the Province of Pordenone. They were welcomed by Chamber President, Marco Ferri, who also thanked for their participation on behalf of the Chamber, the American Consul General, Hon. Carol Perez, and the Italian Consul General for Miami,
Hon. Marco Rocca.
“The United States has historically been a very important market for Italian companies and entrepreneurs,” said President Ferri, “but the current economic situation makes investments in the U.S. even more attractive, especially in the areas of our jurisdiction. In fact, at this historic moment, you can invest in the United States at a very low cost, and thus a much lower investment than in previous years, thanks in part to the current euro/ dollar exchange rate.”
President Ferri also added that “… the states IACC SE covers under its jurisdiction (Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi and Alabama), are of considerable quality, relatively untapped markets with a highly skilled workforce, large distribution network and excellent infrastructure with a package of incentives for foreign investment, representing an incredible opportunity for Italian companies.”
American Consul General in Milan, the Honorable Carol Perez, also addressed the group, stressing the importance of the presence of the IACC SE in Italy underlying that the U.S. continues to absorb more than 12% of Italian exports and that there will be a substantial expansion of the renewable energy market.
A welcome speech to the IACC SE was also given by Councilman Alessandro Morelli, director of Tourism, Marketing & Branding for the City of Milan who, on behalf of the entire Council of the city of Milan, thanked the IACC SE for choosing Milan as its first desk in Italy.
An important recognition and greeting was also given by the Consul General of Italy in Miami, Hon. Marco Rocca, who pointed out that in 1992 when he opened the Italian Consulate for the first time in Miami, Florida, the Chamber had just opened and since then, business and trade have already increased six fold.
Remarks were concluded by the greetings of Dr. Laurent Sansoucy, the European Director of Enterprise Florida, the State’s economic development agency, who briefly introduced various opportunities and incentives offered by the State of Florida to foreign businesses who establish a presence in the State.
At the end of the evening, each of the guests were honored with a gift-bag that the IACC SE had prepared with additional information on the Chamber, its services and how to contact its representative offices in the territory under its jurisdiction.
The IACC SE was represented at the event in Milan by President, Marco Ferri, Esq., the Managing Director for the Italian office, Giancarlo Pelosi Esq., Secretary Joe Raia Esq., the Treasurer, Massimiliano Teia, Esq., the new Executive Director, Miriann Guazzini and the former Executive Director, Silvia Cadamuro.
The IACC SE would like to thank the sponsors who helped make inaugural event possible in Milan:
– Avila Rodriguez Hernandez Mena & Ferri LLP (www.arhmf.com);
– Studio Legale Pelosi & Partners Stp (www.pelosilawfirm.com);
– Ilaria Niccolini Production (www.ilarianiccolini.com);
– Roca Gonzalez, P.A. (www.rgpa.com);
– University of Miami, School of Law (www.law.miami.edu);
– Gunster Yoakley & Stewart LLP (www.gunster.com);
– Man Adv USA (www.manadv.com);
– Withers Worldwide (http://www.withersworldwide.com).