Once
again the red carpet - its edges lined with glowing, welcome candles - was
unrolled down the steps of Palazzo Mezzanotte, the home of Borsa Italiana. Once
again, the limousines and taxis arrived and the guests in their dinner jackets
and sequined evening dresses climbed the steps into the brightly lit building.
Downstairs in the dining room with its glass floor suspended over Roman ruins,
the stage was prepared and the dining tables set with an impressive colour
scheme of red and black.
It was the fourth edition of the UK Italy Business Awards. It is amazing how in
such a short time this event has become such an important fixture in the
calendar of the Milan business community – and how competitive the companies
involved have become.
The theme of this year’s event was cinema - Italian cinema from the 50s and 60s.
The Director General of Cinecitta Studios was among the guests of honour and
extracts from some of Italy’s most famous productions played on the big screens
as the guests filed in for dinner. Then later there was a performance from
Northern Ballet Theatre, again inspired by the themes of Italian cinema.
Northern Ballet is based in Leeds, one of the UK’s most dynamic cities, and
their performance was introduced by Deborah Green, Chief Executive of Marketing
Leeds, who told the audience about the development of links between Leeds and
Milan. And there was a sporting VIP, too, with the presence of Wesley Sneijder
and his beautiful wife, Yolanthe Cabau van Kasbergen.
But the real focus was on the Awards themselves. This year’s big winner –
Investor of the Year – was Banca Intesa San Paolo, who have set up their
Corporate Global Services Headquarters in London and whose Investor Forum,
giving young companies the chance to explain their products and their plans to
business angels and providers of venture capital, has been so successful. In
fact, there was a strong emphasis in this year’s ceremony on new technologies
and new ideas with four companies – SmartRM, Biofordrug, Amanuens and Panoptes –
receiving special awards for innovation.
The environment also featured strongly with ENI receiving an award for their new
environmental technologies and 40 South Energy for their successful research
into harnessing tidal and wave power as a source of renewable energy.
The importance of the event in terms of Anglo-Italian commercial and financial
relations was emphasised by the presence of the Chairman of Borsa Italiana and
the Chairman of the London Stock Exchange.
It was a glittering evening which mixed serious business with glamour and
entertainment and we look forward to another equally glittering occasion this
time next year.
Laurence Bristow-Smith