GMIS team up with Italy’s Confindustria to drive industrial capability

The agreement will also explore the possibility of hosting a future GMIS edition in Italy

(L-R) Barbara Beltrame Giacomello, vice president for internationalisation at Confindustria, Nicola Lener, Italian ambassador to the UAE and Badr Al-Olama, head of the GMIS organising committee. PhotoShow more

The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit has teamed up with Italy’s Confindustria to accelerate economic development and expand industrial base across sectors.

The agreement will boost manufacturing capability and innovation driven by the fourth industrial revolution and will also explore the possibility of hosting a future GMIS edition in Italy, the two entities said in a joint statement on Thursday.

“Fostering cross-border co-operation will ground long-term prosperity in local markets and influence global industries as they interact in collaborative ventures across their respective economies, effectively contributing stronger bilateral relations,” Badr Al Olama, head of the GMIS organising committee, said.

GMIS – a joint initiative between the UAE and the UN Industrial Development Organisation – and Confindustria, the General Confederation of Italian Industry, signed the agreement during the week-long event taking place in Dubai.

The summit intends to build bridges between manufacturers, governments and non-government organisations, innovators and investors to further develop manufacturing and fuel post-pandemic recovery.

The first two events were held in Abu Dhabi in March 2017 and in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in July 2019. The third was initially scheduled for April 2020, alongside the Hannover Messe 2020 trade fair, but was postponed due to the pandemic and was later held online.

“The fourth industrial revolution has enacted a cultural shift whereby societies and industries are experiencing rapid changes to their daily activities,” Barbara Beltrame Giacomello, vice president for the internationalisation at Confindustria, said.

“National economic conditions must facilitate further investments across the scopes of digital literacy and Industry 4.0 technological production … and for effective change, R&D [research and development] activities are crucial to fuel this change. We are confident that our collaboration with GMIS will facilitate discussions that will drive us in that direction,” she said.

Headquartered in Rome, Confindustria is the main association representing manufacturing and service companies in Italy.

Over 150,000 small, medium and large enterprises voluntarily joined Confindustria, representing over 5 million workers.

“The partnership with Confindustria is a partnership with Italian companies and Italy as a whole,” Namir Hourani, managing director of GMIS, said.

“GMIS would invite leaders and experts from Italian organisations to participate in all future GMIS conferences, working groups and initiatives so that they are well represented and can tell their story wherever GMIS is being hosted across the world.”