Source: Unioncamere press office
Rome, 21 July 2021 – Carlo Sangalli has completed his term as President of Unioncamere and is leaving the baton to Andrea Prete. The Assembly of the Presidents of the Chambers
of Commerce unanimously elected the current President of the Salerno Chamber of Commerce to lead the body representing the Italian chamber system.
The three years of my mandate have been very challenging, marked by the drama of the pandemic, – said President Carlo Sangalli. – Even in this situation, however, the Chambers of
Commerce have proved to be quick and efficient, managing to respond to the needs most felt by our businesses. Since I accepted the request from the business world to take over the leadership of
Unioncamere, I have strengthened the conviction that the Chambers of Commerce have a fundamental role of support and assistance, especially for small businesses. This is all the more so now
that the production system will have to face the challenges of the digital and ecological transition.
An essential element for the chambers to carry out this task well was also their reorganisation through mergers, which made them stronger, more structured and more efficient. Three years ago we
were still in the middle of the road. Today I can say I am satisfied with the work done and the results obtained. We have safeguarded the centuries-old history of solidarity and service to
businesses of the Chambers of Commerce and we are able to contribute, with people, projects, tools and skills, and innovative capacity, to building a future of well-being and development for our
country.
Italy will have to face and carry out in the next years an evolution of economy and society that will pass through a triple transition: digital, ecological and administrative, – underlined
President Andrea Prete. – In this framework we must build the Chambers of the future, focusing on some priorities: the enhancement of our assets, such as the network in the
territory, the telematic network and the economic observatories, the strengthening of the Chambers in a European dimension and the partnership with business associations, central administrations
and Regions. But the real game is that the Chambers, from now until 2026, can make a valuable and concrete contribution to the Government in the implementation of the National Recovery and
Resilience Plan, carrying out support functions for small and medium-sized enterprises with extraordinary support programmes focused on information, training and technical assistance.
In other words, the Chambers can play a role similar to that of the US ‘Small Business Administration’ and be extremely useful to the government and the regions because they are a
self-governing and self-managing organisation with strong local roots.
The Presidents’ Meeting also appointed the eight Vice Presidents who will work alongside Prete over the next three years. The new Vice-Presidents, all at the top of a Chamber of Commerce,
are:
Klaus Algieri (Cosenza)
Leonardo Bassilichi (Florence)
Tommaso De Simone (Caserta)
Giorgio Mencaroni (Umbria)
Antonio Paoletti Deputy Vice President (Venezia Giulia)
Mario Pozza (Treviso-Belluno)
Giuseppe Riello (Verona)
Gino Sabatini (Marche)
