On 14 September, in collaboration with Confindustria Piemonte, the initiative “ InvEst in East Europe. Confindustria Est Europa and Confindustria Piemonte together to present the growth opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe” was held at the Congress Centre of Unione Industriali Torino, in partnership with UniCredit and with the active involvement of the CEE Representative Offices, enriched by the testimony of companies that have invested in the Serbian market.
An occasion to present to companies belonging to the associations of the Piedmont region the network's activities and support on a path of growth towards the strategic neighbouring markets of Eastern Europe, as well as the business opportunities in each country.
Proceedings were opened by the President of Confindustria Piemonte, Marco Gay, who underlined the opportunities Eastern Europe offers Piedmontese companies, against exports of 3.9 billion and a trade surplus of some 230 million euro in 2021, urging them to continue along the path of growth. President Meroni presented the Federation and the network in Eastern Europe, an integrated and interconnected area and a strategic neighbourhood in which to shorten the production chain, towards which Italian companies can and must look in order to grow and strengthen their activities, not least thanks to the support of the Representative Offices.
The activities and services of the International Representative Offices, and the area's business opportunities, were explored in focus sessions by the boards of the Representative Offices of Romania, Serbia, Poland, Albania, Ukraine, North Macedonia and Bulgaria.
The programme included addresses by UniCredit's contacts: Paola Garibotti, UniCredit Regional Manager North-West, and Alessandro Paoli, Head of UniCredit International Center Italy, with a focus on the UniCredit Group's instruments to support companies expanding their business abroad.
The final part of the programme was reserved for business testimonies from Gianluca Giordano, Director General of Elmeg Srl, and Francesco Ellena, Founder and CEO of ABACAAR D.O.O., both of whom shed light on their experience of internationalisation in Eastern Europe, and in Serbia in particular.
Closing proceedings, the President of Confindustria Piemonte, Marco Gay, recalled the importance of working as a system and as a network, strengthening the business fabric even at a time of great uncertainty such as the present. With proceedings closed, President Gay opened the B2B session, in which the International Representative Offices met more than 25 companies.
