QUADRIVIO GROUP PRESENTS 'INVESTING IN MEGATRENDS'

Villa Miani was the magnificent venue today, Wednesday 18 October, to the event held by Quadrivio Group: 'INVESTING IN MEGATRENDS'.

The day saw 20 speeches, including solo addresses and three strategic round tables, to spotlight the most promising megatrends (Lifestyle & Experience, Longevity & Silver Economy, Innovation & Artificial Intelligence), stimulating in-depth reflection and mapping out possible scenarios. Chair for the talks was Fabio Tamburini, Editor-in-Chief of the Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper. The event was also streamed live to enable all stakeholders both in Italy and abroad to attend, and offered a succession of eminent speakers, comprising sector experts and prominent figures from enterprise and the finance world.

Alessandro Binello opened the proceedings. As the Group CEO of Quadrivio Group pointed out, "The identified trends align with some of the most pivotal markets in our economy. Private capital can expedite the development of enterprises operating within these domains, where Quadrivio Group has long been an investor through its four thematic funds: Made in Italy Fund 1, Made in Italy Fund 2, Industry 4.0 Fund, and Silver Economy Fund. The group's investment strategy remains steadfast in this direction, aiming to support Italian excellence in these segments, making these companies more robust and globally competitive."

The first session was the round table on Lifestyle & Experience, introduced by David Pambianco, Managing Partner at Lifestyle Fund 2 ‒ the private equity fund promoted and managed by Quadrivio & Pambianco and investing in lifestyle and Italian excellence. Mauro Grange, CEO of Autry ‒ a top-end sneakers firm that has been part of the Made in Italy Fund 1 portfolio since 2021 ‒ then spoke, underlining that Autry is set to conclude the year with a turnover ranging between €115 and €120 million, and that its success can be attributed to three essential factors: "Right since inception, our brand has been shaped by an unwavering commitment to producing uncompromisingly high-quality products, in a pricing range that's accessible and inclusive, combined with a strategy of exclusive and top-tier distribution." Present on the roundtable panel were: Giordano Calza, CEO and co-founder of GCDS; Giuliano Calza, Creative Director and co-founder of GCDS; Guido Polito, CEO of Baglioni Hotels; and Gianluca Mollura, CEO of Mohd.

The second round table placed the Longevity & Silver Economy sectors at the heart of the debate. The discussion was launched by Stefano Malagoli, Partner at Silver Economy Fund ‒ the Quadrivio Group private equity fund investing in enterprises offering services and products for people in their 50s and above.

Speaking from New York were Paul Irving, Chairman of the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging, and Dexter Shurney, CEO of Bluezone Medical and President of Bluezone Institute. Dr Shurney underlined: "Thanks to over two decades of research, the 'blue zones' are achieving unparalleled levels of health and longevity for individuals and communities worldwide. It is therefore vital to embrace any action capable of fostering the global expansion of these zones."

Three panel members also contributed: Valentina Petrone, CEO of The Private Clinic; Sara Farnetti, specialist in Internal Medicine and expert in Precision Medicine and Functional Medical Nutrition; and Luigi Carraro, President of the International Padel Federation.

Instead, the last round table pivoted on Innovation & Artificial Intelligence. The session was opened by Roberto Crapelli, Managing Partner at Industry 4.0 Fund ‒ the group's fund for investing in the digitalization of SMEs ‒ and his introduction was followed by a speech by Vincenzo Esposito. The CEO of Microsoft Italia underscored the importance of AI, commenting: "The proliferation of generative artificial intelligence means we are witnessing a monumental paradigm shift capable of accelerating the growth and productivity of businesses, and consequently leading to sustainable national development. Research conducted by Microsoft in conjunction with the European House - Ambrosetti has projected that pervasive generative AI could yield an annual growth of 18% in Italy. Now more than ever is it essential to guide enterprises in navigating this new realm of innovation, helping them seize the opportunities and fostering a responsible adoption of these technologies. As Microsoft, we have set up AI L.A.B.: this ecosystem project developed with our partners aims at offering companies the chance to test out generative AI within their organizations and to identify adoption scenarios, while simultaneously providing training pathways for professionals so that they may acquire the right skills to use the potential of next-generation AI to its full."

Panel: Giorgio Metta, Scientific Direcor of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia; Luca Bolognini, Digital Director Engineering AizoOn; Chiara Lucifora, Università di Bologna; and Stefano Cuzzilla, President Federmanager.

Walter Ricciotti, CEO of Quadrivio Group, saw to rounding off the discussion: "We firmly believe that the trends identified for this event and explored through debate involving accomplished experts in their respective fields all stand as attractive investment opportunities for us as private equity operators. In fact, Quadrivio Group plans to invest more than €500 million over the next three years, in response to the Lifestyle, Artificial Intelligence and Silver Economy megatrends.”