The CDP Roadshow has landed in Sicily. After Naples, Brescia, Venice and Florence, the fifth regional event took place inPalermo, in the splendid setting of the Teatro Massimo, withover 150 attendees and more than 3,300 people connected via digital channels.
The event provided an opportunity to inaugurate the regional office in Piazzetta Salvatore Fausto Flaccovio, bringing us closer to the local community and enabling us to further increase our commitment to businesses and government bodies in Sicily.
“Sicily needs investment to transform problems into opportunities,” said CDP Chairman Giovanni Gorno Tempini in his opening speech. “As the bridge between public objectives and the private sector, CDP plays an ideal role in this situation.”
The Roadshow is an opportunity to meet with the business world and local authorities, understand their priorities and what solutions CDP can offer with its integrated products and services. The key topics of the Palermo roadshow were innovation, digitalisation, renewable energy and sustainability.
Alongside Mr Gorno Tempini, the CEO of CDP Dario Scannapieco, the CEO of Simest Regina Corradini d'Arienzo and the Head of Economic Scenarios and Industry Strategies Simona Camerano also attended the event. The regional point of view was represented by the Regional Councillor for Tourism Elvira Amata, the Mayor of Palermo Roberto Lagalla, the President of Fondazione Sicilia Raffaele Bonsignore, the President of ANCI Sicilia Paolo Amenta, the President of Confindustria Sicilia Alessandro Albanese, and the Director of the Teatro Massimo Marco Betta.
“CDP is a pivot for combining European, national, local and private resources,” underlined CEO Dario Scannapieco. “We put our technical and financial expertise at the disposal of the regions,” he added.
CDP’s commitment to Sicily
In the last three years, CDP has mobilised over €2.7 billion to support around 240 Sicilian public entities and has provided advisory services on the use of National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) funds for projects in the city and across the region.
Support for business has also been significant. From 2020 to 2022, over €970 million was committed – both directly and through financial intermediaries – to support around 11,000 businesses.
These numbers are now destined to increase with the opening of the new office – CDP’s first in Sicily. The Palermo office brings the number of CDP offices in Italy up to 26, making it quicker and easier to understand the needs of companies’ and public entities.
Culture as a driver of growth in Sicily
CDP’s commitment to Sicily also includes supporting the development of the cultural institutions that are the engine of social and economic growth. One example is Teatro Massimo, whose construction was financed in the late 19th century by a loan of two million lire from CDP. Still today, CDP supports the Teatro Massimo with initiatives benefitting 200 young musicians of the Massimo Youth Orchestra and the Massimo Kids Orchestra.
One of their number, Ria Aoki – who plays cello in the Kids Orchestra and at aged just 10 has already wielded the conductor’s baton alongside maestro Riccardo Muti – performed at the ceremony to enthusiastic applause.
After Palermo, CDP’s regional tour will continue with the next stages of the Roadshow in other major Italian cities, including Ancona, Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Genoa, Turin and Verona.