22 February 2014

Beta's CEO Guido Ghisolfi receives Leonardo 2013 award for made in Italy excellence

Quality, sustainability, innovation, exports: 2013 Leonardo Prizes for Made in Italy
excellence awarded today at the Quirinal Palace

Luisa Todini (Leonardo Committee): we expect measures to support the competitiveness
and internationalisation of our companies from the new government

• The Leonardo Prize jointly awarded to Diego Della Valle and Gianni Zonin
• The Leonardo International Prize awarded to the Emirati Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak
• The Leonardo Italian Quality Prizes awarded to Amplifon, the Dompé Group, the Mossi Ghisolfi
Group and Kerakoll
• The Leonardo Start-up Prize awarded to NISO Biomed
Rome, 20 February 2014 – Seven Italian entrepreneurs, each in their own sector, have made a significant
contribution to promoting and strengthening the image of Made in Italy and Italian quality around the
world, with a focus on innovation and internationalisation. Today, the President of the Republic Giorgio
Napolitano awarded the 2013 Leonardo Prizes at the Quirinal Palace, in the presence of the Deputy
Minister for Economic Development Carlo Calenda, the Vice-President of Confindustria Diana Bracco,
the President of the Italian Trade Promotion Agency (ICE) Riccardo M. Monti and the Chair of the
Leonardo Committee Luisa Todini.
Now in its 19th year, the initiative promoted by the Leonardo Committee started in 1993, based on a
common idea from Senator Sergio Pininfarina and Senator Gianni Agnelli, Confindustria, the Italian Trade
Agency and a group of entrepreneurs, aimed at spreading and strengthening Italy's image of excellence
around the world.
Every year the Committee also awards the Leonardo International Prize to a leading overseas figure who has
helped to develop and strengthen cultural and economic ties with Italy. This year the prize was awarded to
Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Group CEO of the Mubadala Development Company, “which bears
witness to the ever closer business and trade collaboration between Italy and the United Arab Emirates, one
of the most dynamic economies in the Arabian Gulf region and an increasingly important outlet for our
companies' products and services,” said Luisa Todini, Chairman of the Leonardo Committee.
"Today more than ever, to help get our companies back on their feet, we need a sense of responsibility and
team work between entrepreneurs and institutions. Stability and concrete policies are required to reduce the
competitiveness gap, to start simplifying bureaucratic procedures, and to reduce the burden of labour and
energy costs. Fundamental measures should also be implemented to attract overseas investors, which would
immediately benefit employment and growth. We hope this will be a priority for the new government,” said
Luisa Todini. “The dual need to promote Italian companies' competitiveness in overseas markets and
attract investment has been a key issue on the government's agenda; let's hope that future decisions follow
the same direction. The excellent performances being honoured today go to show that, thanks to strong
presence in overseas markets and constant investment in innovation, it's possible to be competitive at
international level and continue to assert the quality of Made in Italy products around the world. However, a
great deal still needs to be done to support the efforts of entrepreneurs, against an economic backdrop that's
still difficult despite the first glimmers of positive signs."