In the first stage, prizes were awarded for entrepreneurial excellence in Emilia-Romagna: Aetna Group, Davines and Comer Industries were acknowledged for their values and contributions to society.
Representing these companies were Valentina Aureli from Aetna Group, Davide Bollati from Davines and Matteo Storchi of Comer Industries. They were awarded for their innovative insights and winning strategies.
EY Private emphasised that Valentina Aureli, CEO of Aetna Group, was selected "for her commitment and visionary strategy in positioning the Group as an international leader, leading the company towards continuous growth with a focus on innovation and corporate sustainability". Under the leadership of Valentina and her brother Enrico, Aetna Group now has more than 2,000 employees, 12 subsidiaries, 5 foreign production companies (2 in China, 1 in Brazil, 1 in the USA and 1 in Germany) and another 6 in Italy, all located in the Packaging Valley of Emilia-Romagna.
This initiative, which will reach other cities in Italy, aims to explore the present and future opportunities of Italian entrepreneurship, analysing sector trends, successful strategies and the challenges that companies face in an ever-changing geopolitical climate.
To mark the occasion, EY presented a preview of the national data of the new edition of the EY Macroeconomic Bulletin to be released on 9th July. Forecasts suggest real GDP growth for Italy of 0.8% in 2024 and 1.3% in 2025, with the inflation rate rising from 5.6% in 2023 to 1.4% in 2024 and 2.0% in 2025. However, these forecasts are subject to a high degree of uncertainty given the conflicting signals currently available and the latest geopolitical events.
As far as the local economy of Emilia-Romagna is concerned, Oxford Economics forecasts a regional GDP growth of 0.8% in 2024, in line with the national figure and those of the previous year. The labour market is expected to remain strong, despite a decline in the growth of the number of employed people.
