ROMA (ITALPRESS) – Intesa Sanpaolo inaugurates a new synergistic and integrated path along with Confindustria, SACE, SIMEST (CDP Group) and ICE consolidating the accompanying model abroad of Italian SMEs. The new proposal for internationalisation and support for the export of Italian companies has been signed today in Rome, a concrete commitment that sees alongside public operators and private sector to activate long-term synergies. Promoted by the Bank of the Territories led by Stefano Barrese, the intervention is aimed at identifying new factors of growth and trajectories for Italian competitiveness in the light of the geopolitical context and its impact on trade with foreign countries, strengthened by the availability of 30 billion euros of credit made available by the Bank in the next three years and by the subscription of new agreements with primary banking institutions in France, India and Brazil intended to guarantee to the Italian companies operating assistance An integrated model of partnerships activated by Intesa Sanpaolo to further strengthen its business support strategy through investment support resources, widening international banking collaborations and strengthening financial solutions and export services.The new initiative responds to the needs of SMEs to simplify and encourage solutions to the increasing complexity of global markets, aiming to redefine trade balances through investments and new financing, consistent alignment of times and costs, specialized financial insurances inserted in an integrated financial system The goal of the Group led by CEO Carlo Messina and shared by Confindustria, SACE, Simest and ICE is therefore to support companies in the diversification of markets, risk management and building an increasingly solid and competitive presence in global value chains. The pact is divided along five lines, enhancing synergies with Confindustria, SACE, Simest and ICE, to offer SMEs dynamic and integrated support on international markets: New credit for 30 billion euros for the next three years made available by Intesa Sanpaolo for financing aimed at encouraging exports, direct investments abroad and production projects realized in Italy that are functional to international growth. Partnership with leading local banking institutions, already initiated by Intesa Sanpaolo in France, India and Brazil – and in extension to other emerging geographies within the first half of 2027 – to provide operational assistance in the countries of destination, from payment management and cash management and the banking relationships of Italian companies present with subsidiaries, production units, commercial branches in international geographies. Research of new customers and international partners through collaboration with ICE and the use of the new Connecting Markets platform developed by the Intesa Sanpaolo Territories Bank that allows SMEs to identify new customers, suppliers and industrial partners in more than 170 countries. Support for External Direct Investments (IDE) through the integration of the Bank’s financial solutions with participating loans and subordinated loans from Simest for the creation and strengthening of productive plants, business branches and logistic hubs abroad. Support for the export of machinery and instrumental goods, which represents 18% of the total Italian exports. New solution of Intesa Sanpaolo that allows exporting companies to anticipate the liquidity relative to supplies with dilated payment thanks to the synergies with SACE – throughthe Credit Policy Supplier to cover commercial and political risks – and with Simest, through the contribution in interest account to allow Italian companies to offer more competitive payment conditions to foreign buyers. The offer is completed by the services of Trading Company, which follow the entire process of international supply, from the purchase of the goods of the Italian exporter to the subsequent resale to the foreign customer, including the logistic, financial and customs aspects. Thanks to the partnership with Grenke, operating rental solutions for international buyers are also available. The event for the presentation of the new agreement, which took place this morning in Rome, was opened by Anna Roscio, Executive Director Sales & Marketing Enterprises of the Banca dei Territori Division of Intesa Sanpaolo who presented the cornerstones of the agreement for the support of SMEs on global markets, followed by the intervention of Gregorio De Felice, Chief Economist of Intesa Sanpaolo, who illustrated the perspectives of the Italian economy and the role of SMEs in the growth of the country. They therefore intervened: Barbara Cimmino, Vice President of Confindustria for Export and Investment Attraction, Regina Corradini D’Arienzo, CEO and General Manager of SIMEST, Michele Pignotti, CEO of SACE, and Matteo Zoppas, President of ICE, who have deepened the opportunities, tools and strategies to strengthen the presence of Italian SMEs on international markets. The event ended with the dialogue between Stefano Barrese, Head of the Banca dei Territori Division of Intesa Sanpaolo, and Emanuele Orsini, President of Confindustria, who reaffirmed the importance of the ever closer collaboration between financial institutions, industrial system and public actors to support the competitiveness and international growth of Made in Italy. “Our companies are extraordinary, but today they have to face a new growing complexity that risks undermining their competitiveness and in general the growth of our country. International development is a key to the success of Made in Italy, which is why public and private operators work together to maintain the excellence of our industry in the world,” explains Stefano Barrese, Head of the Banca dei Territori Division of Intesa Sanpaolo. “In the last three years we have made available over 19 billion euros to support international activities and managed more than 1,000 accompanying projects abroad. With a new credit availability of 30 billion euros and with the extension of our commercial network even where we are not present, we join to the powerful financial capacity an undisputed territorial proximity and a strengthened international presence. The synergies with Confindustria, SACE, Simest and ICE are the axis of a new economic strategy aimed at supporting companies and transforming internationalisation into a structural path of growth and competitiveness.” “Geopolitics has changed deeply and with it the balances of international trade. The challenge for the Italian industry is not only to export more, but to count more in global markets. We must strengthen the presence of our companies in international companies, build strategic industrial partnerships, especially with emerging countries, and seize the opportunities offered by their great development and investment plans. The trade agreements are fundamental, but alone are not enough: they are used concrete tools to transform the opportunities in growth, especially for SMEs.The pact that we look at today with Intesa Sanpaolo, SACE, SIMEST and ICE goes in this direction, strengthening the capacity of the Country System to accompany companies on foreign markets. Because being stronger in the world means having a stronger industry in Italy, capeace to generate investments, development and employment”, said Emanuele Orsini, President of Confindustria. Regina Corradini D’Arienzo, managing director of SIMEST, states: “The initiative launched with Intesa Sanpaolo is a strategic step to strengthen support for Italian companies, with particular attention to SMEs, through increasingly targeted and innovative services, able to accompany them in addressing the challenges of international markets. The collaboration with one of the country’s leading financial players allows you to set up skills, resources and tools, developing customized solutions to support the international growth projects of enterprises, to be identified and evaluated together from the initial stages, even from a simple design idea. In this context, the presence of SIMEST in the main international geographies further strengthens the partnership, helping to facilitate access to foreign markets and to direct enterprises in overcoming bureaucratic complexity and trade barriers. The initiative is fully integrated into the coordinated action of the Italian System, which, under the leadership of the Farnesina, sees to operate in synergy CDP, SIMEST, SACE, ICE and industrial associations, together with other actors of the national financial and productive system. It is through this ability to make system, with a shared vision and an integrated approach, that we can strengthen enterprises along all the branches, including those of smaller dimensions and not yet present on foreign markets, accompanying them with an ever greater closeness towards the concrete opportunities offered by international markets”. “A strong country system makes companies stronger abroad” – said SACE CEO Michele Pignotti –. “When institutions, banks, insurance and business representation work in a coordinated way, companies can count on more skills, more relationships and more tools to address their growth choices. With this awareness, central in our strategic plan SACE50, we renew our commitment today alongside Intesa, Confindustria, Simest and ICE: together, we make the system a concrete resource for enterprises, especially for SMEs, and we contribute to achieving the international growth goals of Italy.” Matteo Zoppas, President ICE said: “The agreement with Intesa Sanpaolo and Confindustria strengthens the operativity of the Country System that sees us in the forefront in promoting the export of national enterprises with Sace and Simest in the field of the Diplomacy of growth inaugurated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2025, Ice supported nearly 14,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in the internationalisation process, with a growing trend in the current year. The connection with the banking system and in particular with an institute strongly rooted in the territory as Intesa Sanpaolo provides additional tools and resources to aim for the objective of 700 billion exports within the next year indicated by the Government”. -photo mec/Italpress-(ITALPRESS).
