East China Members Meet in Shanghai

01 March 2022

The Anhui, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang Members' Meeting was held on March 1st 2022 at Italo, Shanghai. About 90 Members attended the event both online and offline.

The meeting provided the Members with the occasion to meet the newly appointed Consul General of Italy in Shanghai, Ms Tiziana D'Angelo, as well as to review the recent activities of the CICC and to be updated about the present and future priorities for the Italian business community in China.

The event was opened by the welcome remarks of Mr Valtero Canepa, CICC Vice Chairman in Shanghai, who introduced the Consul General Ms Tiziana D'Angelo.

Just arrived from Rome, Ms Tiziana D’Angelo gave a warm welcome to all those present at the event. After briefly reviewing her career up to her arrival in China, the Consul General underlined the importance for the Consulate of being close to companies, as well as the importance of working more and more together in order to promote the Italian System in Eastern China.

The meeting then continued with the CICC Chairman Mr Paolo Bazzoni, who underlined the importance of the close cooperation between the various players of the “Italian System in Shanghai”. Thanks to a close synergy within the Italian System it is possible to increase the authority and strengthen the competitiveness of the Italian business community in China. Mr Bazzoni then provided an overview of the recent results achieved by the CICC, reiterating the importance of expanding the initiatives of our Chamber throughout the Chinese territory, in synergy with local partners.

Here are some of the present and future priorities highlighted by Mr Bazzoni:

- Air transport between Italy and China, including the organization of multiple charter flights and the confirmation of the agreement through which 8 seats are reserved for CICC on weekly flights operated by Neos along the Milan-Tianjin route;

- Boost collaboration with Chinese counterparts and work on the territories to expand the presence of the CICC in China;

- Increase the proactivity and effectiveness of the Working Groups, today drivers of new important activities;

- Strong growth of the membership base, which reached at the end of 2021 838 Members and Friends (+ 144.7% on an annual basis).

Finally, Mr Bazzoni stressed the importance of managing the Chamber as a company at the service of enterprises, providing them with concrete support.

The meeting was also an occasion to welcome the new Secretary General Mr Renzo Isler.

After a long career at Generali, Mr Isler accepted his new position as Secretary General with the aim of improving the structure and productivity of the various offices. He stressed that the Chamber cares about all the needs of its members.

Among the issues addressed by Mr Isler there was an analysis of the results of the online vote that led last week to the amendment of some of the CICC Articles of Association. The approved changes will allow to provide adequate coverage on the territory, increasing the number of board members. The new CICC Articles of Association will be the basis for the upcoming 2022-24 Board of Directors elections.

The Members’ Meeting continued with another speech led by the CICC Treasure Mr Lorenzo Riccardi, who described a new project, called "Mappatura", through which the presence of CICC Members and Friends is mapped according to every Consular district, province, prefecture and city of China.

After a first overview of the global vision, strategy and priorities of the Chamber, Mr Valtero Canepa, CICC Vice Chairman in Shanghai, reminded the key milestones for 2022 in the Shanghai jurisdiction.

A priority is the growth of the membership (which reached 326 in 2021), the renewal is proceeding rather quickly in 2022.

As regards the composition of the Shanghai membership base, there is a great predominance of service and manufacturing companies.

Among the priorities pursued by the CICC office in Shanghai are the organization of informative seminars / webinars in collaboration with working groups, support from working groups with company visits and, last but not least, cooperation with local authorities.

In this regard, the CICC in Shanghai is following three main directions:

- Maintain and improve cooperation with the Shanghai government, starting from the organization of the 2nd edition of the Round Table

- Establish links with some specific areas of Shanghai, including the Lingang New Area, offering special policies including a reduction of the individual and corporate income tax

- Dialogue with the province, and single municipalities of Zhejiang, including Haining, which is interested in cultural exchanges and in a cooperation in the fashion and leather sector.

Two other speeches, respectively by Mr Ermanno Vitali, CICC Board Member in Shanghai, and Mr Giacomo Bove, CICC Board Member in Suzhou, confirmed the importance of the presence in the territories.

Mr Vitali described the numerous activities carried out in the Nanjing and Wuxi area, all aimed at creating opportunities for Members located in those areas, and establishing stronger relationships with the provincial and local authorities.

Among the news brought to the attention by Mr Bove is the relocation of the Suzhou office in cooperation with the Jiangsu Suzhou Yangchenghu Peninsula Tourist Resort Administrative Committee and Suzhou Industrial Park Investment Promotion Committee, as well as the possibility for member companies to rent desks.

To close the speeches of the Board of Directors was Mr Mauro Maggioni, CICC Board Member in Shanghai and head of the CICC Quality Council. The Quality Council aims to support Italian companies in their business in China, in the fields of Fashion, Luxury and Premium Goods, Design, Furniture, Lifestyle, to raise awareness about market speed, magnitude and complexity.

Among the upcoming activities scheduled by the Quality Council, a panel session within the second edition of China-Italy Business Dialogue, which will be held on April 21st-22nd 2022 in Beijing, as well as a series of four educational workshops about digital echo system in China, during which vision, norms and players in E-commerce, Digital Marketing, compliance will be shared.

The last part of the meeting was dedicated to the activities of the CICC Working Groups:

• Mr Carlo Nizia, Vice Coordinator of Mechanical Engineering Working Group (MEWG)

• Mr Carlo Geremia, Coordinator of Intellectual Property Working Group (IPWG)

• Mr Mario Tasso, Coordinator of Logistics Working Group (LWG)

• Mr Luigi Minervini, Coordinator of Energy and Environment Protection Working Group (EEPWG)

• Ms Cristina Corsini, Coordinator of the Food and Beverage Working Group

The goal of the CICC is not only to support the activities of a single Working Group, but also to create opportunities for cooperation across the WGs.

The meeting ended with a networking brunch.

The next members' meeting will be held before the summer: stay tuned!

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