The Embassy of Italy in Ottawa, Consulate General of Italy in Toronto, Italian Trade Agency (ICE), Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Italian National Tourist Board (ENIT), and the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Ontario (ICCO) have invited Italy’s leading academic and industry leaders to Canada, in order to share their vision for the future of Italy with their inspirational success stories.
The project aims to forge meaningful connections and to encourage business relationships between Italian commercial partners and local companies and investors.
The conference features talks and networking opportunities based on impactful entrepreneurial stories.
Seven remarkable guests of various industries, ranging from science to culture, design and the environment, will have an opportunity to talk to Toronto’s vibrant community about the realization of their dreams, artistic visions and enterprises.
MICHELE DE LUCCHI Architect Michele De Lucchi has been a prominent figure in stylistic movements like Alchemy and Memphis. He has designed furniture for the most renowned Italian and European companies. For Olivetti, he was the Director of Design from 1988 to 2002. He has completed a wide array of architectural projects in Italy and abroad, ranging from residential to industrial, corporate and cultural buildings. For Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Bundesbahn, Enel, Poste Italiane, Hera, Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit and at other Italian and foreign banks, he has designed innovative working environments and enhanced their corporate image.
He has planned buildings for museums such as the Triennale di Milano, the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome, the Neues Museum in Berlin and the Gallerie d’Italia in Milan. Michele De Lucchi is currently designing luxury resorts in various parts of the world: Georgia, China, Japan and Italy.
Interestingly, he has designed an indoor ski slope that will be built in the area of the former Alfa Romeo factory near Arese. In Bresso, he is developing a campus project dedicated to technological innovation in the pharmaceutical field. The Misk Foundation has also selected Michele De Lucchi to be the architect of its new Arts Institute, which will be built in Saudi Arabia. In 2000, he was appointed Officer of the Italian Republic by President Ciampi. In 2001, he was nominated Professor at the Università luav di Venezia in Venice.
In 2006, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Kingston University in England. In 2008, he was nominated Professor at the Design Faculty of the Politecnico of Milan and is a Member of the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca in Rome. During 2018, Michele De Lucchi was also the editor in chief of the new “Domus” magazine.
OSCAR FARINETTI Founder and creator of Eataly, the first supermarket dedicated to Italian high quality foods. In 10 years, 40 branches have been opened; 22 in Italy and 18 abroad: three in Japan, five in the U.S., Moscow, Istanbul, two in Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, Seoul, San Paolo, Munich and Stockholm. The next opening: Las Vegas (December 27th) and by the end of 2019, Paris and London. In 2019, Eataly will be listed on the Stock Exchange and it will become “A global public company representing the Italian lifestyle with ever increasing intensity and strength.”
His new project is FICO Eataly World, the world’s larger agri-food park: 100 thousand square meters inaugurated on November 15, 2017 in Bologna.
FICO Eataly World is the only place in the world where you can experience the whole food production chains. Two whole hectares are dedicated to demonstrative fields and stables with more than 200 animals and over 2000 different cultivars. It also boasts more than 40 farming factories and consortiums; over 40 places to eat the best Italian dishes; 100 traditional shops; an Italian farmers’ market; a congress centre; educational areas for wine tasting; cooking shows; a training ground, which offers a sensorial and educational experience about food and its biodiversity; six walk-throughs; and interactive multimedia carousels dedicated to the extraordinary story of Humankind, fire, Earth, seas, animals, bottled goods, and the future.
ANGELO GAJA Angelo Gaja was born in 1940 in Alba, Piedmont region, Italy. He received a degree in enology from the Enology High School “Umberto I” in Alba and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Turin.
In 1961, he joined the family company and in 1969, he took over management of the renowned Gaja wineries. Married to Lucia, who helps him manage the company, they have three children: Gaia, Rossana and Giovanni, who are all passionate about their involvement in the family business.
The Gaja family owns the Gaja wineries, located in Barbaresco (Piedmont), Pieve Santa Restituta winery in Montalcino (Tuscany) and the Ca’ Marcanda winery in Castagneto Carducci (Tuscany).
RICCARDO ILLY Riccardo Illy joined the illycaffè family business in 1977, initially working in the sales and marketing department before becoming Business Director in the second half of the 1980s. In 1992, he attained the position of Managing Director and from 1995 to 2016, he held the position of Vice President.
He is Chairman of Polo del Gusto, a new company established in June 2019, in which Illy Group, a Holding of the Illy family, merged the companies Dammann (tea), Domori (chocolate), Mastrojanni (wine), Agrimontana (preserved fruit) and Fgel- Bonetti (ice cream bars).
From 2004 to June 2019, he held the position of Chairman of Illy Group and from 2016 to 2018, the position of President of Domori. He is also president of Mastrojanni
Since the 1990s, Riccardo Illy has pursued a political career, in addition to his work as an entrepreneur
Riccardo Illy is also a journalist, publisher and the author of the book “Dal Caffè all’ Espresso” published by Mondadori in 1989 and translated into English, French and German.
ANTONIO MELONI Antonio Meloni is the President of the National Scientific Committee for Antarctica (CSNA). It operates under the PNRA (Italian Antarctic Program), which is funded by the Ministry of Education, University and Research, in Italy.
The Committee is tasked with strategically addressing Italian research on the Antarctic, with regard to the scientific evaluation of proposals that the national community forwards to the National Antarctic Program in order to meet the Ministry’s needs for scientific information about Antarctica.
He is also the author, or co-author of more than 130 papers, which have appeared in international scientific literature, and other Italian literature publications. He is also the author and editor of magnetic maps, meeting proceedings, special volumes
ROSANNA PURCHIA Throughout her university years, Purchia wanted to become a geologist because of her passion for nature, animals and travelling. However, after a truly remarkable theatrical experience as a young girl with Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare (and in particular with Roberto De Simone, who deeply marked her personal and professional growth), she decided to embark on an exciting career in the field of theatre.
This meaningful encounter with the Neapolitan musical tradition has surely influenced her career, inducing her to accept the role of General Manager several years later at one of the most prestigious European theaters: San Carlo Opera House in Naples. She was chosen to fill this role in April 2009 by the Special Commissioner of the Italian Government, Salvatore Nastasi.
This remarkable opportunity led to Purchia moving from Milan (where she worked at Piccolo Teatro), to Naples, her hometown after 33 years. In December 2011, Luigi De Magistris, Mayor of Naples and President of the San Carlo Opera House, and the Theatre’s Board of Directors, unanimously confirmed her assignment. In April 2015, she was newly confirmed as General Manager of the San Carlo Opera House.
PROGRAM
08:00 – 09:00 Registration & Welcome Breakfast
09:00 – 12:30 KEYNOTE SPEECHES
13:00 – 14:00 Light lunch
14:00 – 16:00 CONVERSATION WITH MEGAN WILLIAMS -, Rome correspondent for CBC Canada
Join us at IT@CA on October 25, 2019 in Toronto for Canada’s first international conference on Italy’s creativity, culture and entrepreneurship.
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