Euro-Mediterranean Investment Forum 2019

Simone Tagliapietra is Senior Researcher at the Eni Enrico Mattei Foundation (FEEM) and Fellow at the Bruegel European economic think-tank in Brussels. Simone is an expert in international energy markets and is the author of numerous publications on the international natural gas markets, European energy policy and energy relations in the Euro-Mediterranean area, with a particular focus on Turkey. To better investigate this last topic, Simone recently spent a year in Istanbul as a Visiting Fellow at the Istanbul Policy Center (IPC) of Sabanci University. His most recent publications include "The Globalization of Natural Gas Markets" and "The Geoeconomics of Sovereign Wealth Funds and Renewable Energy". Before joining FEEM in March 2011, Simone did an internship at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in Geneva. Graduated in International Relations at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan, he is currently finalizing his research PhD student at the same University. Simone is often quoted in international newspapers and magazines such as the Financial Times, Bloomberg, Forbes, Republic, Politico Europe, Hu¨rriyet Daily News. Simone is also a member of the editorial board of the European Energy Journal (EEJ), a senior member of the Euro-Med Economists Association (EMEA) and a member of the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE).

Ruggero Arico' graduated in Law at the University of Messina, Italy in 1999 and he was admitted to the Bar in 2002. He joined Enel, the biggest Italian electricity company, in 2000 at the Institutional and International Affairs Department. In 2003 he moved to Brussels to manage the institutional relations with the European Union, in particular he worked very closely to the European Parliament. After 5 years, he moved to Moscow as Head of External Relations for Russia & CIS Countries and in 2010 he moved to Algiers as Head of External Relations for Algeria. Since March 2016 he is the new global Head of Institutional Affairs for Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania in Enel Green Power, the world biggest renewable energy private player. Ruggero has an extensive experience in international relations, governmental affairs, energy and climate change regulation and legislation. He spent most of his life outside Italy, he speaks fluently several foreign languages and he is often invited as visiting professor in universities and as speaker in conferences worldwide. He is also Vice President of “Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo” (the General Confederation of Italian Industry association for the development of Italian businesses in Africa, the Mediterranean and the Middle East) and Board Member of the Italia-ASEAN Association (the association which represents and supports Italian companies in all sectors with business interests in the ASEAN countries). Last year, he has been appointed Vice President of "Disability Pride Italy", a non-profit organization which raises all issues that people with disabilities are facing nowadays. He is member of the Rotary Club, where he received the highest honours “Paul Harris Fellowship”.

Lucio Caracciolo (Rome, February 7 1954) is the editor-in-chief of the Italian Geopolitical Review, Limes, (www.limesonline.com) and Head of Geopolitics at Macrogeo. He teaches Strategic Studies at the LUISS University in Rome and Geopolitics at Università San Raffaele, Milan. He regularly writes columns for the Italian newspaper “la Repubblica” and for the magazine “l’Espresso”. He published articles in various reviews, in Italy and abroad. He taught Geopolitics at the University of Rome 3 from 2004-2007. He wrote some essays and books, including “Alba di guerra fredda” (“Cold War Dawn”), Rome 1986, “La democrazia in Europa” (“Democracy in Europe”, a conversation with Ralf Dahrendorf, François Furet, Bronislaw Geremek), Rome 1991, “Euro no, non morire per Maastricht” (“Euro no, don’t die for Maastricht”) Rome 1996, “Terra incognita”, Rome 2002; “America vs. America, perché gli Stati Uniti sono in guerra con se stessi” (Why the U.S. is at war with itself), Rome 2011, “Storia contemporanea” (Contemporary History), Milan 2017.

Born in Rome in 1941, Innocenzo Cipolletta is Senior Advisor of UBS Italy Branch, Chairman of UBS Fiduciaria, Chairman of Fondo Italiano d'Investimento, Chairman of Assonime (Association of the Italian joint stock companies) and Chairman of AIFI (Italian Private Equity, Venture Capital and Private Debt Association). He’s also Deputy Chairman of FeBAF (the Italian Banking, Insurance and Finance Federation) and member of the board of Inpiù S.p.A, Lunelli S.p.A., Laterza SpA, Lars Magnus Ericsson and Fondazione Censis. He was Chairman of the University of Trento (from 2003 to 2018), of Ferrovie dello Stato S.p.A., the Italian state-owned Railways (from 2006 to 2010), of the daily financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore (from 2004 to 2007), of UBS Corporate Finance Italia S.p.A. (from 2002 to 2006) and of the Marzotto Group (from 2000 to 2003). He also held the position of Director General of Confindustria (the Italian Industry Association) from 1990 to 2000, and of  managing director of OECD and ISCO. As a professor of Economics, he has taught at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, at the University of Reggio Calabria, at the University of Florence “Cesare Alfieri” and at the Roman University “LUISS–Guido Carli”. Innocenzo Cipolletta is a component of numerous Scientific Committees, and a publicist and economics commentator for Italian newspapers. He is also the author of a large number of scientific publications and books and member of a number of non-profit organisations such as the Italian Statistics Society, the Italian Economists Society, Demographics and Statistics, the ISTAO (Istituto Adriano Olivetti per la Gestione Economica dell’Azienda) and of the Italian Institute for International Affairs (IAI). Innocenzo Cipolletta has been appointed Cavaliere di Gran Croce in 1993.

Raffaele Della Croce is a Senior Economist at the OECD, and Senior Fellow at Imperial College Centre for Climate Finance & Investment and Collegio Carlo Alberto in Turin. At the OECD he is in charge of the  G20/OECD Taskforce on Long-Term Financing and responsible for producing statistical research and analysis on sustainable finance, long term investment financing and connectivity infrastructure. He is the Lead Manager for the OECD project “Institutional Investors and Long-term Investment” in the Financial Affairs division of the OECD and also responsible for the Long Term Investment Network gathering major pension funds, insurance companies, and sovereign wealth funds across the world www.oecd.org/finance/lti. Raffaele represented the OECD to G20, European Parliament, Financial Stability Board and UN meetings and is currently involved in a new project on the impact of innovation as blockchain on sustainable finance and the use of  Big Data - public (i.e. satellite, drones, ground sensors) and private -  with AI, IoT for infrastructure investment. Representing the OECD he took part to the 25 members FSB working group - chaired by Dutch Central Bank President Knot - mandated to analyze  the impact of financial regulation on infrastructure financing  and report to the G20 Leader’s summit in November 2018 in Buenos Aires. Before joining the OECD in 2010, he worked in the financial industry for eight years, mainly with Ernst & Young and Moody’s Investors Services in London. As part of international teams advising governments or private consortia, he has been involved in the analysis, structuring and negotiation of the largest transactions in the utilities and infrastructure sectors in Europe, Middle East and Africa region.   Raffaele has been educated in Rome, Oxford and Columbia Universities. He also serves in the advisory committee of the OECD Provident Pension Fund.

Mr El Karm Ahmed was born on 21/02/1951 in Tunisia, he is a holder of a License of Economy- Science and of an Upper Diploma of the Technical Institute of Bank of Paris. He integrated the Central Bank of Tunisia in 1972 to occupy several functions among which those of Director of Banks, Managing director of the exchanges and the foreign trade and the leader of sir's cabinet Governor of the Central Bank of Tunisia. He integrated in 1993 Amen Bank to occupy the functions of Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In 2012 and further to the change of the mode of Administration of Amen Bank, Mr Ahmed EL KARM is named Chairman of the management Board. He is also President of the Tunisian Professional Association of Banks and Financial Institutions Union «A.P.T.B.E.F» and Union of Maghrebian Banks “U.B.M” and member of the Board of Directors of the Union of Arab Banks “U.B.A”. He has published several publications in journals in Tunisia and abroad and has led several seminars mainly on monetary policy, external financial liberalization, economic development issues, banking management, electronic banking and new technologies of information.

Mrs Palanza, who holds a Master’s degree in Economics, joined the Bank in 1984. She has spent most of her career working in different regions outside the EU, initially as an economist in the Projects Directorate, and since 2001 in the Directorate for Lending outside the EU, where she was successively Head of Strategy, Associate Director for Lending in East and Central Africa and the Pacific and Director for Lending in the Middle East and Northern Africa.  Subsequently, she headed the Department for Lending in Central and South Eastern Europe. She was appointed Director for Lending in EU Neighbouring Countries in September 2017.  Prior to joining the EIB, Mrs Palanza worked in the Asian Department of the International Monetary Fund.

Accountant, foreign investment consultant, partner of the international firm "Mazars", Mohamed Mourad Fradi was appointed in September 2016 Co-Commissioner General, with Hazem Ben-Gacem, of the International Conference for Investment in Tunisia. With more than 20 years of experience, Mr. Fradi specializes in strategic support for international companies as well as assistance to large international groups for their establishment in Tunisia. Mourad Fradi is one of the founders of the international audit and consultancy firm "Mazars Tunisia" and financial auditor for many large international groups. He is also president of the Tuniso-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and founder of the "Yunus Social Business" Fund in Tunisia. Mourad Fradi has hosted more than one hundred conferences and forums on investment opportunities in Tunisia. He has also participated in reflection and drafting commissions for foreign investment and was a member of the "Task Force" for the organization of the Tunisian-Italian economic conference which was held during the month from April 2016.

Energy Counsellor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation of Italy and independent energy consultant (November 2010-present). Member of the Executive Board of the International Energy Forum. Deputy Chair and Bureau Member of the UN  Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Committee on Sustainable Energy. June 2008 through October 2010: Counsellor for Energy Policy to the Minister of Economic Development, Italy. Advising the Minister and Government on national and international energy policies, programmes and developments. Programme Co-ordinator of G8 Energy Ministers Meeting, Rome, May 24-25, 2009. Special Representative for the 2009 Review of the Energy Charter Treaty. Leading work for the preparation of the National Energy Strategy and the National Conference on Energy and Environment 2010-2011. January 2007 through May 2008: Counsellor for International Energy Policy to the Ministry of Economic Development, Italy. Programme Co-ordinator of 11th International Energy Forum Ministerial Meeting and 3rd International Energy Business Forum, Rome, April 20-22, 2008. Technical Programme Director of 40th WEC World Energy Congress, Rome, November 11-15, 2007. January 2004 through December 2006: Director General of Energy and Mineral Resources in the Ministry of Economic Development (former Ministry of Productive Activities), Italy. From December 1996 to December 2003: Member of the Authority for Electricity and Gas set up to promote competition and regulate public utility services in the electricity and gas sectors. From January 1994 to December 1996: Director of the Energy Department of the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment (ENEA). From December 1987 to December 1993: Director for Energy Technologies, Research and Development of the International Energy Agency - OECD, Paris. From December 1985 to December 1987: Research Director of the Institute of Economics of Energy Sources (IEFE), L. Bocconi Commercial University, Milan. From 1974 to 1984: Co-director of the Institute of Economics of Energy Sources (IEFE) of the Bocconi University, Milan. Other professional experiences: He founded consulting and "venture capital" companies and collaborated with companies active in the sectors of services and innovative technologies. Full Professor of Nuclear Plants at the Politecnico di Milano. Researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1972-1973. Graduated in nuclear engineering from University of California, Berkeley and Milan Polytechnic. Author of numerous printed, economic, technological and environmental works.

Head of Institutional Lending, Sustainable Finance and Concessional Funding from May 2019. He joined Snam in 2008 being responsible, during the time, for different activities in the Finance Dept., amongst which Group Treasury, Project and Corporate Financing and Insurance. Before joining Snam he worked for twenty years in Eni with various responsibilities within the Financing, Risk management and Control. He graduated in “Scienze Economiche e Bancarie” (Economics and Banking) at the University of Siena. He attended the post-graduate course MEDEA (Master Degree in Management and Economics in Energy and Environment – Scuola Enrico Mattei Eni ).

He joined Generali Investments Partners SGR in January 2019 as Portfolio Manager in the Multi Asset and Quant Strategies team. In his activity, he focuses on total return multi-asset portfolios. Before, he had worked in the Generali Group since January 2009, as Macro Analyst in the Research department. In his former role, he focused on the coverage of Southern European and Latin American economies and corporate bonds. He designed the methodology of the internal sovereign rating model currently used in Generali Insurance Asset Management and developed econometric models for asset class valuation. He has been a CFA Charterholder since 2013. Industry experience: 10 years. Education: MSc in Economics, University of Trieste.

Dr Enzo Maria Le Fevre, Ph.D., is a Senior Expert on International Relations at the Agency for Digital Italy - Presidency of the Council of Ministers (AGID). He works in the international projection of the Agency’s activities, particularly of those focusing on digital governance and Artificial Intelligence. Specifically, he closely collaborates with the OECD as the Agency’s delegate in the expert and thematic groups where AGID is involved. He is coordinating the Thematic Group on Emerging Technologies (AI & Blockchain) of the OECD Working Party of Senior Digital Government Officials (E-Leaders). In 2018 he was among the drafters of the Italian White Paper on the use of Artificial Intelligence at the service of the citizens. Last December he has been appointed member of the United Nations Expert Group on the “Role of public institutions on the transformative impact of new technologies” promoted by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs - Division for Public Institutions & Digital Government (DPIDG). He is also Adjunct Professor of Digital Governance at the Università degli Studi della Tuscia and of International Law and Diplomacy at LUISS University in Rome, in 2018 he was appointed Researcher Coordinator on international practices of digital governance at the Laboratory on Innovation and Artificial Intelligence of the University of Buenos Aires. Since 2002 he has covered numerous leading positions in governmental and non-governmental institutions. Currently board member of Adriano Olivetti Foundation and a fellow at the European Center for International Affairs, he also served as research associate at the Center for International Conflict Resolution of Columbia University.  He holds a Ph.D. in international and European studies with a focus on international law and theory of the state, an MA in International Relations (with honours), and a postgraduate specialization in International Law and Public Law in the fishery sector. He recently published on “The application of the SDGs in the fisheries sector through the support of emerging technologies”.

Giovanni Lombardi is an informal investor in high-tech startups. He is President and Founder of the Tecno group, a company operating in the sector of energy efficiency and excise duties, an E.S.Co (Energy Service Company), authorized by the Regulatory Energy and Gas Authority; President of ANUPEA (National Association of Energy Products Users) and President of the Advisory Board of the "Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte".  He is also Coordinator of  PA.L.MER. accreditation project - Parco Scientifico Tecnologico del Lazio Meridionale (Scientific and Technological Park of Southern Lazio), a metrology laboratory of electric energy meter gauging of the Agency of Customs.

Mr. Mohamed El Dib, an Egyptian native, held a Bachelor of Commerce in 1972. In 1972 he began his career in the National Bank of Egypt (NBE), the largest bank in Egypt. In 1976 he obtained a Higher Studies Diploma. In 1978 he joined National Societe General Bank, which 76% owned by Societe General Bank in France. Before occupying his position as Chairman and Managing Director in 2007, Mr. El Dib was holding several positions in Corporate & Investment Banking within the bank. In 2010  he became a member in The High Management Committee in Societe Generale – Paris. During 2013 Qatar National Bank Group, Doha has acquired the majority stake of the bank and its name was changed to QNB ALAHLI Mr. El Dib is Board Member in the Federation of Egyptian Banks.

Ferdinando Nelli Feroci is president of the IAI. A diplomat from 1972 to 2013, he was Permanent Representative of Italy to the European Union in Brussels (2008-13), Chief of Staff (2006-08) and Director General for European Integration (2004-06) at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Previously, he served in New York at the United Nations, in Algiers, Paris and Beijing. He also served as Diplomatic Counsellor of the Vice President of the Italian Council of Ministers (1998). In June 2014 he was appointed to the post of European Commissioner in the Commission chaired by Manuel Barroso to replace Antonio Tajani, a position he held until the end of the mandate of the Commission on 1 November 2014. Formerly a Fellow at the Center for International Affairs, Harvard University (1985-86), and Visiting Professor at the Istituto Universitario Orientale of Naples (1989), he is currently a professor at the School of Government of LUISS, Rome. He is the author of many articles and essays on international relations, European affairs and political affairs.

Senior banking manager at Monte dei Paschi di Siena Banking Group, with over 30 years of experience in domestic and international corporate banking, correspondent banking and factoring. Project Manager and Chief Representative in developing and emerging countries from 2002 to 2018, opening new markets or expanding the activity in consolidated areas. Since September 2018, Head of International Operations for Central Italy and Sardinia, based in Rome.

Graduated in 1985 in Economics with honours in 1985, Davide Tabarelli is president and co-founder of NE-Nomisma Energia, an independent research think tank on energy and environment. He has been dealing with projects involving the energy industry for over 34 years. He was responsible for around 120 studies for domestic and international energy companies. He has been a consultant for the Ministry of Industry and the Environment for energy and environmental policies since the 1990s. He is an adjunct professor at the Faculty of Engineering of Bologna and at the Politecnico di Milano. From 2018 he is a member of the advisory board of the ENI for issues related to the energy transition.

Graduated in Law at Università degli Studi di Bari on November 24 ^th 1981. He is a Civil lawyer (freelance professional) from 1982, and  he has been Chairman of the Italian Cooperative Credit Depositors' Guarantee Fund since April 2011. Deputy Chairman of the Italian Federation of Cooperative Credit Banks, he is also a member of the Abi Board, former Iccrea Banca Chairman and since 2010 chairs the organizing committee for the establishment of the Banca del Mezzogiorno. Chairman of Federcasse (Italian Federation of Credit Co-operative Banks) from January 2017 and deputy Chairman of FeBAF (Italian Banking Insurance and Finance Federation) from September 2018.

Andrea Benassi works for ICCREA Banca SpA (the holding company of the Italian co-operative banks) since 2014. He is responsible for EU Affairs, then in 2016 he is appointed Head of Public Affairs and International Relations.  In July 2018 he takes charge of the Public Affairs & Sustainability department within the Directorate General of the Parent company of the Iccrea co-operative Banking Group. From 2008 to 2012 he has been Secretary General of UEAPME, the European Craft and SME employers’ organization acting as social partner in the EU Tripartite Social Summit and Macro-Economic Dialogue. He’s expert of social, economic and financial dossiers concerning mSMEs. He is also expert for Private Sector Development at the Italian Foreign Office and members of technical committees at OECD, Italian Ministers and the Italian Banking Association. He is founder and President of the NGO Siloe onlus, the Italian Society for the Assistance of Patients – and their families - with socially disabling pathologies.

Development economist by training, Odoardo Como, after several years of work with the UNDP, at the University of Naples and as consultant in the area of regional and SME development, has been working for the last 20 years at the European Commission. He has been Head of the economic cooperation in the EU Delegation in Tunisia, Head of Operations in the EU Delegation in Turkey, Head of the Monitoring and evaluation Sector in DG NEAR. He presently works in the regional programmes unit of DG NEAR on Neighborhood South countries.

Leads the Adler-Hp Pelzer Group, a family company founded by his father, Achille, since 1956. Today, the Ottaviano company is an international group with 64 factories in 23 countries and with more than 15 thousand employees, for a turnover exceeding 1 , 5 billion. Born April 14, 1960 and graduated in industrial engineering from the University of Basel. Immediately after graduation, the generational transfer to the company. He was a member of the National Council of Confindustria and of the select committee for internationalization. He was vice president of the Union of Industrialists of Naples, with responsibility for internationalization. In 2007 he was appointed Cavaliere del Lavoro, Industry sector, by the President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano. He is among the youngest Knights.
Among the international awards received: Qualitas International Prize, Gazzelle Poland, General Motors Award, Medici Prize for Innovation and Development, Mercurio Award, San Gennaro Award.
In 2011 he received the nomination Niaf (National Italian American Foundation) as the best Italian-American entrepreneur in the presence of United States President Barack Obama. It is also the year of the Podio Ferrari, the award that the prestigious car manufacturer gives its suppliers. It also receives the UK-Italy Business Awards 2012, awards reserved by the British Government for Italian excellence present across the Channel. He is president of the master of the car promoted by the University of Naples Federico II, member of the Unicredit territorial committee, councilor Aci-Csai (Italian Automobile Sports Commission), president of ANFIA Automotive and of the Campania System. In 2013 he received the Leonardo Qualità Italia Award from the hands of President Napolitano. He is Ambassador for Tourism of the Principality of Monaco and sits on the Board of Directors of the Foundation "In the Name of Life" commissioned by Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe. In January 2014 he founded Eccellenze Campane, the taste pole that enhances local gastronomic specialties, based in Naples, Milan, Rome and London. Since May 2014 he has been on the Board of Directors of Banco di Napoli and since June 2014 on that of Fincantieri (until 2017).
It was confirmed in 2015 at the head of SRM by the Assembly of members of the Study Center connected to the Intesa Sanpaolo Group. In July 2015 he was appointed member of the Newco TFA board formed by Titagarh Wagons Limited and the Adler-Pelzer Group, for the acquisition of Firema Spa.Still in July 2015, he assumed the presidency of DATTILO - the Transportation Technology and Logistics District, established in Campania in 2013, as the operational arm of the Region to develop research projects in the transport and mobility sector. In November 2016 he was awarded the EY (Ernst & Young) Award "The 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year" for the Globalization category. In 2016 he founded and chairs the "Achille Scudieri" Foundation. He is a member of the "Treasure of San Gennaro" committee. In 2018 it acquired the brand "Tramontano" and "Up Design" In July 2018 he joined the Board of the University of Naples "Parthenope" and was appointed to the advisory board of Confindustria Nazionale. In October 2018 he received the office of Advisor to the Leonardo Committee.

After graduating in Economics and Banking, Francesco Guido started his professional career in Istituto Bancario San Paolo di Torino (now Intesa Sanpaolo) in 1983. He has occupied various positions over the years as Branch Manager, Area Manager, Compliance Officer, Regional Director, Head of Sales e Marketing and General Manager of Cassa di Risparmio di Venezia. Since July 2015, he has been the General Manager of Banco di Napoli SpA. He has also been member of the Board of Directors in IS Formazione ScpA, Studi e Ricerche per il Mezzogiorno (Intesa Sanpaolo Group) and President of Associazione Bancaria Italiana Campania Regional Commission. Today he is the Regional Manager of Regional Management Campania, Basilicata, Calabria and Puglia.

Mario Mattioli was born in Naples on October 30th, 1963 where he graduated in economics at the Federico II University. Since the early 80s he began working in the family businesses belonging to the Cafiero Mattioli Group, holding numerous positions up to the current one of CAFIMA President. (Cafiero Mattioli financial Spa). For about 20 years he was a member of the confederal council and of the executive committee of CONFITARMA Confederazione Italiana Armatori, also holding the position of vice president and president of the education commission. From October 11th, 2017 he is president of CONFITARMA. On 11 April 2018 Mario Mattioli was unanimously elected for the next two-year president of the Federation of the Italian maritime system (Federation of the Sea), the organization that brings together the national cluster of maritime activities. He has also been chairman of the ASSORIMORCHIATORI (Tug owners association), vice president of the Italian Academy of Merchant Marine, vice president of the Industrialist Union of Naples with responsibility for training and the study center. Currently he is member of the committee of Britannia Steamship Insurance Association limited UK, Honorary general consul of the Kingdom of Thailand in Naples and in South Italy, president of FORMARE and Board Member of the National Fund for Seafarers, entity financing the training projects of Italian Merchant Marine cadets.

Last February Silvia Moretto has been nominated the 16th President of Fedespedi (Italian Freight Forwarders' Association). She is the first woman to lead the Italian Association. However, her commitment started in 2016 when she was appointed as advisor to the board of ANAMA, Italian association of Air freight forwarders. Silvia Moretto is the Chief Executive Officer of D.B. Group, a global freight forwarding and logistics provider with headquarter in Italy. The Group has 48 offices around the world and it counts more than 600 employees. Her long experience within the company gave her the opportunity to gain a wide knowledge of the industry and understand the several challenges affecting the global trade.

President of the Italian Ports Association (elected in 2019) and President of Port Network Authority of the Central North Adriatic Sea (since 2016), Mr. Daniele Rossi has a vast experience in the port field. He has held very prestigious roles in high-level international companies. He has a Master’s Degree in Law, speaks English fluently and has a good knowledge of French.

Maritime Transport Economist, Head of Maritime & Energy Dept. at SRM (Intesa Sanpaolo Banking Group). Coordinator of the Permanent Observatory on Maritime Transports and Logistics. He has conducted a lot of research about maritime economy, ports, airports, logistic platforms, railways, infrastructure, Special Economic Zones in collaboration with research centers and international universities like Rotterdam, Shanghai, Seoul, Antwerp and Hamburg.

Paolo Garonna is the Secretary General of the Italian Banking, Insurance and Finance Federation since October 2012. Professor of Political Economy at the LUISS Guido Carli University of Rome, he was Director General of the Association of Italian Insurers (ANIA) and Chief Economist of Confindustria. Professor Garonna was Director General of the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) from 1992 to 1999, and, from 1989 to 1992, Deputy Director for Labor, Social Affairs and Education at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris. From 1999 to 2009 he was Deputy Executive Secretary, and Executive Secretary ad interim, of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in Geneva. He carried out research in America as Fulbright scholar, and in Cambridge, Great Britain, and taught in several Universities in Italy and abroad. He has published a considerable number of books and essays in Applied Economics, Statistics and Finance.

Amany joined the General Authority for Suez Canal Economic Zone in mid-January 2016 as Advisor to the Chairman for International Relations. The development of the Suez Canal zone, being a national initiative highly supported by President Sisi, is expected to be a catalyst for regional development capitalizing on the major extension of Suez Canal to contribute to GDP and create jobs. Amany’s main role is to solicit and develop the needed cooperation programs that are pivotal to support the Authority in transforming the region into a world-class global logistics hub and industrial processing center. Before that she worked at the Ministry of Local Development as of January 2015 as Advisor to the Minister and Deputy Director of the Local Development Reform Unit which is the main institutional body that tackles the mandate of the ministry in poverty alleviation and social and economic local development through four main pillars: the development of the local administration systems and processes and raising the capacities of the local administration employees, the implementation of decentralization, the implementation of local economic programs and enhancing the provision of services on the local level. Amany was also the Minister’s Assistant for International Relations at the Ministry of Planning, Monitoring and Administrative Reform, she was leading the International Relations team in coordinating communications with the Ministry’s counterparts in other countries, international and regional organizations, funding agencies, training institutions and governmental bodies concerned with e-government and institutional development programs including human resources to determine and expand the appropriate channels of cooperation and collaboration. Amany held also the position of Director of the Central Administration for Communication and Coordination which includes Media, Citizens’ Services and the Parliamentary and Ministerial Committees departments in addition to heading the Equal Opportunities Unit in the Ministry. Amany was also appointed as Acting Director of the Institutional Development Program at the ministry which focused on the introduction of Results Based Management in the Egyptian Public Service, the modernization of the Human Resources Departments and the capacity building of the government future leaders. Since 2005 till end of 2014, Amany has been acting as Egypt’s national coordinator of the MENA-OECD Governance Programme and in this function actively contributes to the work of the programme’s Steering Group. From 2005-2009, Amany had also been a key partner of the OECD during the Egyptian chairmanship of the MENA-OECD Initiative on Governance and Investment for Development. Amany initiated the process for Egypt to join the Public Governance Committee at the OECD and coordinated all the steps needed till Egypt – as first African country - became an observer in this esteemed committee. Amany represented Egypt as regular observer in the meetings of the committee from 2009 till 2014. In May 2009, Amany was actively involved in the launching of the Gender Focus Group of the MENA-OECD Governance Programme, which supports the promotion of gender mainstreaming and gender equality policies in public governance by strengthening the strategic capacity of public officials from the MENA region to design and implement gender-sensitive policy frameworks. Amany was also the expert representing Egypt in the Executive Bureau meetings of the Arab Administrative Development Organization and the coordinator of the Egyptian activities within the framework of the African initiatives of Public Service. Amany has worked, developed and executed projects with major development partners like UNDP, World Bank, European Union, KOICA, OECD, GIZ, ADETEF, SIDA and many more. Prior to joining the public sector in 2005, Amany was the director of the Relations and Fundraising Department at the Arab Council for Childhood and Development, a regional NGO based in Cairo working with governments and the civil society in the Arab world to address the challenges Arab children are facing. Amany also assumed several managerial positions in luxury International Hotel Chains from 1987 till 2001. She was the executive assistant of the Area President for Middle East and Africa for a major hotel chain and her role included the succession planning program for key positions within the area and she was responsible for the functions of guest relations, public relations as well as the loyalty programs and achieved the first rank in terms of number of members and quality of service. Moreover, she was elected recently as a board member of the Gender – Diversity and Governance around the Mediterranean Network.
Amany holds a BA in Mass Communications with high honors from the American University in Cairo and a Master’s Degree from the same university in Public Relations. She came seventh nationwide in the High School Diploma and she has also completed several Executive Development Programs in Egypt and abroad including Harvard and Kellogg.

Marina Piccioni joined Cassa Depositi e Prestiti in 2007 and currently leads the CDP’s Development Finance structuring team. In the past she worked as head of Risk Policies and Products in the CDP’s Risk Management and as a structurer for major Italian banks. She received a PhD in Theoretical Physics (Università di Napoli “Federico II”) before turning to finance in 2000. Her main areas of interest are structured finance, sustainable and development finance. She has recently published a book on financial education.

Marco Borra, Head of Department, First Technologist at Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn of Naples (Italia), In charge of international cooperation and strategic partnership, Italian Liaison Officer of the European Marine Biological Resource Center (EMBRC-ERIC) and Head of the Grant and Innovation Office. Born in 1972, MSc in Biological sciences, PhD in Animal Biology and Post-doc at Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto. Working for several years in a Core facilities supporting other labs in Molecular Biology techniques providing a wide range of services and centralizing some complexes technological processes. Italian representative and Member of the steering Board of the OCSE “Fostering Innovation in the Ocean Economy” project. Italian representative in the working group “Promote increased G7 political cooperation by identifying additional action needed to enhance future routine ocean observation” in the framework of “The future of the Seas and Oceans” actions of G7 Science. Since September 2018 is Head of Research Infrastructures for marine biological resources Department at Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn di Napoli.

Rami Aboul Naga was promoted to the position of Sub-Governor of the Markets Sector at the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) in June 2017. In this appointed position, Aboul Naga heads the Reserves Management Unit, the Treasury Unit, and the Monetary Policy Implementation Unit. In his capacity as the head of the Reserves Management Unit, he oversees the prudent management of the CBE’s foreign reserves in a way that ensures compliance with the stringent investment guidelines which ensure the highest level of liquidity and the maximization of return given the set  risk parameters. Additionally, this department is responsible for spearheading negotiations with financial institutions and other central banks in order to attract foreign investments into the Egyptian market. Aboul Naga leads the discussions with credit rating agencies in their quest to determine Egypt’s credit profile.  As head of the Treasury Unit, Aboul Naga is entrusted with the management of the Egyptian foreign exchange market in order to monitor its activities and further its development and enhancement. Additionally, he is responsible for supervising the local money and capital markets and developing their infrastructure in order to further their effectiveness and efficiency. As head of the Monetary Policy Implementation Unit, he manages the implementation of the monetary policy mainly through modeling and forecasting of future liquidity conditions in the Egyptian banking sector. In April 2018, his scope was widened to include overseeing the Foreign Relations and Investment Department which includes the External Debt division, the Back Office and Settlement division, and the Strategic Contributions division. Aboul Naga's position has allowed him to play a pivotal role in the discussions with the IMF and the implementation of the homegrown reform program. Additionally, his years of managing the Domestic Foreign Exchange market armed him with the expertise to revamp the foreign exchange framework and successfully liberalize the foreign exchange regime.  Aboul Naga joined the Central Bank of Egypt in 2005 as Head Portfolio Manager of the short-term investment portfolio, responsible for managing the liquidity portion of the foreign reserves and as Head of the Domestic Market Unit.  In 2014, he was granted the position of Head of the Foreign Reserves Management Unit. In 2016, Aboul Naga became Assistant Sub-Governor of the Markets Sector. Currently, Aboul Naga is a Board member of several institutions such as the Egyptian Stock Exchange, Egypt Post, the Arab International Bank, and Egyptian Banks Co. For Technological Advancement (EBC). He was also formerly a board member of E-Finance and United Bank. Additionally, he has taught several courses at the Egyptian Banking Institute in cooperation with COMESA and at Misr International University (MIU). Aboul Naga has more than 17 years of experience in the banking sector. Prior to his time at the CBE, he worked in the Treasury department of the Commercial International Bank. He is a graduate of the American University in Cairo, with a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Economics, and he holds a Master's of Science degree in Finance from City University, UK. He has received numerous training courses and certificates from various international institutions such as the World Bank, the Federal Reserve Bank, the German Bundesbank, amongst others. He also recently attended the Leadership and Change Management Executive Program at Yale University.

Dr. Mohamed Maait is currently serving as the Minister of Finance, Prior to his appointment as Minister, he held the position Vice Minister of Finance for Public Treasury Affairs & Head of the Economic Justice Unit. In addition he served as First Deputy Minister of Finance in 2015 and as a Deputy to the Minister of Finance for Pension and Social Insurance during the period (2009 – 2013). In addition, he served as First Deputy Minister of Health & Population (2014 – 2015). Over his career of 33 years, he held many positions such as Vice Chairman of the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority (2013-2015), Chairman of the Egyptian Governmental Actuarial Department (EGAD) at the Ministry of Finance (2010– 2013), Vice Chairman of the National Organization for Social Insurance (2011-2012), Senior Advisor to the Minister of Finance (2007-2009). He was also appointed as the Executive Director of the Egyptian Insurance Institute (2007). He also worked as a senior lecturer and has more than 30 years of teaching and researching experience at many universities in Egypt, Sudan, England and Scotland. He is also a member of many national and international committees and boards of directors. Dr. Maait holds a BSc degree in Insurance and Mathematics from Cairo University, Egypt (1984), an MPhil in Insurance from Cairo University, Egypt (1992), he also got a Diploma (1996), an MSc in Actuarial Science (1997), and a PhD degree in Actuarial Science from City University, London, UK (2003).

Gros-Pietro was born in Turin. He graduated in economics and business at the University of Turin in 1964. He taught business economics and industrial economics and politics until 2004.Between 1974 and 1995, he directed Ceris (Institute for Economics Research on Firms and Growth, the main economic body of the National Research Council – CNR),while in 2004 he was appointed chairman of the Economic and Business department at LUISS University in Rome and held that appointment for seven years. From 1997 to 1999 he was chairman of the Institute for Industrial Reconstruction (IRI), leading the privatization of its subsidiaries. He was in charge of similar responsibilities both at Eni from 1999 to 2002, supervising the liberalization of the Italian gas market as well as the group's expansion, and at Atlantia S.p.A (formerly Austostrade S.p.A) from 2002 to 2010. Gros-Pietro was member of CNEL (National Council for Economy and Labour) from 1996 to 2002. Since then, he presides over the Scientific Committee of Nomisma, a company focused on economic studies, and he is part of the Executive Committee of ISPI (Institute for International Political Studies), of ABI’s Executive Committee, of FeBAF’s Executive Board (Italian Banking, Insurance and Finance Federation) and of the Employers’ Association of Turin. He is part of the board of directors of ASTM (acting as Chairman) and Edison.