The entry of Matteo Zoppas into the board of the National Italian American Foundation formalizes a passage that in recent years was already evident in the relations between Italian economic institutions and Italian-American communities in the United States. The appointment was officialized in New York, in the presence of the president of the foundation Robert Allegrini and the chairman John Calvelli. Zoppas leads the ICE Agency, a public body that deals with the promotion of Italian companies abroad and the attraction of investments in Italy, and its entry into the NIAF board strengthens an established axis.
Founded in 1975 and based in Washington, NIAF is considered one of the main reference organizations for the Italian-American community, with a role that goes beyond the symbolic dimension: it organizes institutional events, educational programs and informal lobbying activities, in dialogue with federal administrations and large US companies. Now, the presence of a direct representative of the ICE on the board introduces a more marked operating element, especially on the economic level. The United States remains the first non-European export market: according to recent ICE figures, in 2023 exports to the USA exceeded 65 billion euros, driven by sectors such as mechanics, fashion, food and furniture. The appointment is therefore part of a broader strategy of consolidation of the Italian presence in a high competitiveness market, where the relational dimension – typical of the diaspora – continues to affect commercial opportunities.
During the meeting was also recalled the organization, next autumn, of a stage of approach to the Consumer Electronics Show within the Fiera Milano. The initiative, promoted by the ICE and supported by the president of Fiera Milano Giovanni Bozzetti, aims to create a European platform connected to the ESC, historically the main global event for technological innovation held every year in Las Vegas. The operation has a strategic value: on the one hand it approaches Italian companies – especially SMEs and startups – to an ecosystem dominated by great international players; on the other it strengthens the position of Italy as an intermediate hub between Europe and the United States in the field of innovation. In this sense, the presence of Zoppas in the NIAF board becomes a functional part of an industrial policy that aims to integrate cultural promotion and economic development.
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