Valentina Aversa has been appointed as the head of trust and family planning at Sella Fiduciaria, reporting to CEO Stefano Piantelli. Aversa, an attorney with expertise in the establishment and management of trusts and complex estates, has been accredited in trust matters by 'Il Trust in Italia' since 2005. She has significant experience in leading legal firms and has held a role at Spafid Trust, a company of the Mediobanca Group. Her responsibilities include assisting and advising major clients on generational transition, asset protection, family law, and succession.

BMC 2 Tech Israel, a club deal based in Rome, is set to invest exclusively in high-tech Israeli startups in digital, agritech, military, cybersecurity, and pharmatech sectors. The club deal, initiated by Antonio Quintino Chieffo of AC Finance and Bemycompany, and Antonio Franzese of Media Engineering, plans to gradually invest up to 5 million euros in the Sixth Millennium fund, with 500 thousand already invested. Chieffo emphasizes the goal of creating an innovation hub between Italy and Israel, rather than speculative investments. Sixth Millennium, part of the Sixth Millennium Venture Partners network, focuses on early-stage venture capital investments in cybersecurity, IoT, big data analytics, and fintech within the Israeli market. Chieffo highlights the technological gap Italian companies face and the need to import Israeli technology to reduce this gap more quickly, citing the high cost of R&D in Italy and the lack of a mature venture capital ecosystem.

Fiorenzo Bortolato will become the new general manager of Anasf starting May 2, 2023, replacing the long-serving Germana Martano. Bortolato, who also serves as the general secretary of Efpa Italia and is a financial consultant member of Anasf, was appointed by the Executive Committee following a proposal by President Luigi Conte. Conte expressed his pleasure in welcoming Bortolato and gratitude towards Martano for her 18 years of dedication. Martano will now coordinate activities for Anasf Servizi & Formazione AS&F. Bortolato brings extensive experience in human resources management from his previous roles in various banks, including FinecoBank and Banca Intesa Sanpaolo.

Zurich Bank has announced the creation of a new division dedicated to private and wealth management, led by Maurizio Ceron. Ceron brings over 20 years of experience to the role, previously serving as deputy general manager and head of wealth management at Indosuez Wealth Management. The private banking sector is growing, with assets under management in Italy reaching over 950 billion euros in 2022 and expected to grow annually by 6.8% to 1.084 trillion euros by 2024. Zurich Bank's new division boasts 80 professionals and manages over 5 billion euros in assets, offering a range of financial, insurance, and bespoke extra-financial services. Silvio Ruggiu, general manager of Zurich Bank, emphasizes the bank's commitment to becoming a one-stop financial planning solution with highly personalized services. Zurich Bank, established in October 2022, combines the Zurich Group's 150-year legacy with a network of financial consultants operating for 36 years in Italy, managing 16 billion euros for over 120,000 clients.

Apple's new savings account, in collaboration with Goldman Sachs, offers a 4.15% annual return and is FDIC-protected, currently available only in the US. Roberto Nicastro, president and co-founder of Banca AideXa, believes Apple is redefining retail banking, potentially transforming its banking interface into the primary access point for retail banking services. He predicts other tech giants like Google may follow suit, benefiting consumers in the short term but requiring substantial changes from traditional banks and fintechs. Nicastro advises banks to offer unique value propositions, focus on less vulnerable segments, and improve customer experience to compete with Apple.

Over the last decade, family businesses in Italy have transferred shares worth 300 billion euros, often due to generational transitions. Private banking plays a crucial role in this process, managing the family's financial wealth and understanding the family's dynamics, desires, and expectations. Onofrio Mario Bombacigno of Fideuram – Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking highlights the importance of private banking in planning the transition phases, especially for companies. Private banking also addresses emotional and relational factors, ensuring the wealth is transferred satisfying all parties involved. Furthermore, private banking supports the real economy by helping Italian savers invest in small-medium unlisted companies, aiding both the saver and the entrepreneur.

Vito Grassi, vice president of Confindustria, discussed the potential benefits of differentiated autonomy for enhancing competitiveness and valuing regional specificities at a Federmanager event. Differentiated autonomy, based on Article 116 of the Italian Constitution, allows ordinary statute regions to gain exclusive legislative competence on certain matters. The government presented a draft law on this subject in November 2022, and Confindustria has been a long-time advocate, emphasizing the need for it to respect constitutional principles and not exacerbate regional disparities. The controversial aspects of the draft law include the determination of essential levels of performance (Lep) before autonomy requests. Confindustria Napoli and Fondazione Gimbe have expressed concerns, with Gimbe's president suggesting that regional differences should be balanced before introducing autonomy to avoid exacerbating health tourism and regional reliance on northern healthcare.

The debate is open on the role central banks have played in the banking sector crisis. Experts from Natixis IM, who met at the Leadership Summit 2023 in Paris, discussed the crisis. Mabrouk Chetouane believes central banks will tolerate higher inflation, which will be fueled by low productivity. Philippe Berthelot views the crisis as regional to American credit institutions, not a global issue. Elaine Stokes expects stable rates in the US and smaller hikes in the Eurozone, attributing the crisis to banks' pre-existing problems, such as reduced private investments in technology and cryptocurrencies. Gad Amar identifies four main trends for investors: climate transition, private assets in institutional portfolios, financial solutions for clients, and the return of bonds as an asset class. The article suggests that while central banks played a role, the failures were due to banks' own issues and that careful investment selection is crucial in the current volatile market.

Financial consulting doesn't take a vacation, but financial consultants do. In this summer column, Fabio Menon, the sole administrator of Archeide, an independent financial consulting firm, shares the beauty and uniqueness of the Veneto region where he lives. He recommends visiting places beyond Venice, such as the Dolomites, Verona, Padova, Treviso, Asolo, the Euganean Hills, Bassano del Grappa, and the Po Delta. For dining, he suggests trying local dishes like Baccalà alla vicentina, Sarde in saor, Bigoli all'anatra, and Tiramisù at various restaurants and pizzerias. He also mentions Jesolo Lido for nightlife and advises traveling by motorcycle or renting a boat for exploring the Dolomites and the lagoon.

Financial advisor Giuseppe Gentileschi shares his insights on the beauty and uniqueness of the Abruzzo region, where he lives. He recommends visiting the Costa dei Trabocchi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and exploring the Via Verde dei Trabocchi, a 42 km bike path. Other suggested locations include the natural reserve of Punta Aderci, the villages of Rocca Calascio, Santo Stefano di Sessanio, and Pescocostanzo, as well as the Lago di Scanno and the Riserva delle gole di San Venanzio. For dining, he suggests restaurants along the Costa dei Trabocchi, the Cantina Masciarelli, and the gastronomic restaurant 'Don Evandro'. For families, he recommends the Via Verde bike path and canoeing on the Tirino river, with the Cooperativa il bosso being the best organization for such activities.

Roberta Rossi Gaziano, a financial consultant, shares her recommendations for exploring the region of Liguria, Italy. She suggests visiting picturesque locations such as Tellaro, enjoying the local cuisine at places like Osteria del Borgo and Caffè delle ragazze, and participating in cultural events such as the Festival della Mente. She also provides advice on transportation options for reaching these destinations, including ferries and cars, and recommends family-friendly activities such as visiting the Palmaria island.

Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking is actively recruiting young talent to address generational turnover in the financial consulting and private banking sector. Over 100 young consultants under 35 have been recruited, representing over 50% of new hires. They offer various professional pathways, including the private banker assistant program for graduates and the New Talent program for those with experience. They also have a mixed work contract initiative and team agreements for mentoring with senior consultants. The average age of consultants in Fideuram and Sanpaolo Invest is around 53 years, with under-35 consultants making up 10% of the network. The goal is to recruit at least 150 young bankers annually and continue investing in tools for remote and hybrid work.

Antonio Gozzi, president of Federacciai, discusses the severe impact of the energy crisis on Italy's steel industry and manufacturing sector. The crisis, exacerbated by reduced gas supplies from Russia, could lead to an additional energy cost of 50 billion euros for Italian manufacturing, with the steel industry being particularly affected due to its high energy consumption. The crisis has led to increased energy bills, potential production halts, and challenges in passing costs onto consumers amid recession fears. Gozzi expresses concern over the government's ability to extend concessions to energy-intensive businesses during the political crisis.