3rd Edition 2017

3rd Italian-Thai Business Forum

Milan, 26th May 2017

The 3rd meeting of the “Italian-Thai Business Forum” took place in Milan, hosted by ISPI, the Italian Institute for International Political Studies and a leading international think tank. The event at Palazzo Clerici – among Milan’s most charming historical palaces – was attended by over 30 top figures from prominent Italian and Thai companies, a clear sign of the growing success of the Forum.

 

Major Italian groups and emerging companies as ENI, Snam, Conserve and Sireg have joined for the first time the Forum in Milan, in addition to the “founding members” Cavagna, CMC Ravenna, CNH Industrial, Danieli, Ducati, Faber Industrie, Ferrero, Generali, Italmobiliare, Leonardo, Pirelli, Unicredit and Vittoria. On the Thai side the new entries have been C.P. Group, Italthai, Merchant Partners,  Singha, Thai Union (owner of the Italian brand Mare Blu), Von Bundit Co., in addition to the “founding members” Bangkok Bank, Bangkok Weaving Mills, Dusit Thani, Mitr Phol, Pin Siam, PTT, Siam Cement Group, Thaivivat Insurance, Thai Airways International, Thai Hua Rubber and Thai Summit Group. The two delegations were respectively chaired by Carlo Pesenti, CEO of Italmobiliare, and Busaba Chirathivat, Executive Vice President of Central Group, owner of La Rinascente department stores in Italy.

The meeting was enriched by the presence of the Chairmen of ASTOI (Italian Association of Tour Operators) and SACE (Italian joint-stock company, wholly owned by Cassa depositi e prestiti, that offers insurance and financial products, such as export credit and investment protection). 

During their stay in Italy, the Thai Board Members had the opportunity to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the name “La Rinascente”, a key symbol of the economic relations between Italy and Thailand, being part since 2011 of leading Thai company Central Group. They also visited the final assembly lines of Helicopters Division of Leonardo (a global high-tech Italian company and one of the key players in Aerospace, Defence and Security worldwide) and were hosted by Pirelli at the beautiful Lake of Orta, as civil transportation and tourism are two important and promising sectors in the bilateral economic cooperation, together with many others such as infrastructure, energy, automotive and commodities.