50 Years of Sviluppumbria - Anniversary Celebration of the Economic Development Agency of the Umbria Region - 27 Feb. Palazzo Donini

"1973 – 2023: 50 years of Sviluppumbria"

The Agency for Economic Development of the Umbria Region

celebrates 50 years since its founding

Perugia, 27 Feb. 2023 - Sviluppumbria is 50 years old. To commemorate the anniversary, a celebratory conference sponsored by the Umbria Region and its Regional Economic Development Agency was held this morning at the Salone d'Onore of Palazzo Donini. The well-attended event was opened by greetings from the President of the Umbria Region, Donatella Tesei, the President of the Legislative Assembly of the Umbria Region, Marco Squarta, and the Prefect of Perugia, Armando Gradone.

This was followed by speeches by Giuseppe De Rita, President of Censis, Gianfranco Cavazzoni, former Professor of Business Economics at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Perugia, Michela Sciurpa, CEO of Sviluppumbria SpA, and Mauro Marini, Head of Operational Functions of Sviluppumbria SpA, helping to frame an overview of the Company's evolutionary path as part of a panel devoted to The Past, Present and Future of Sviluppumbria SpA moderated by Giovanni Parapini, Director of the RAI regional office for Umbria. The morning continued with testimonies from representatives of the productive fabric gathered by Giacomo Marinelli Andreoli, Director in charge of Umbria TV, who moderated a second panel in which representatives of Confindustria, Simone Cascioli; Federalberghi, Simone Fittuccia; CNA, Roberto Giannangeli; Confimi, Nicola Angelini; and Confapi, Carlo Salvati, spoke.

"We are here to celebrate an important history," said President Tesei in opening the conference proceedings, "that of Sviluppumbria, which in fifty years has been able to accompany regional economic development. A history, however, that has accelerated in the last three years thanks to the rationalization we have managed to operate in the management of the agency's resources. I must thank CEO Michela Sciurpa for the work she has been able to carry out in imparting an important change of pace in the management of regional calls, especially in the most acute period of the pandemic, and for the support that Sviluppumbria now gives to the regional administration in the field of tourism promotion and the management of major events. Sviluppumbria is now able to respond quickly and efficiently to the changing needs of our economic fabric, with a remarkable ability to interpret changes in the regional production context."

Appreciation for the work done was expressed by Regional Council President Marco Squarta, who recalled how Sviluppumbria has been able to accompany the Umbrian economy and the strengthening of its excellence. "There was a need," Squarta said during his speech, "for a control room to invest in ideas, disengaged from the logic of financial subsidies, to support Umbrian entrepreneurs. This anniversary must represent a starting point to gather the new stimuli and instances that come from our territories and to make our region increasingly attractive for doing business. I wish another 50 years of challenges won and successes achieved."

"I live with the great responsibility of being the first woman at the head of this historic institution, one of the first companies for local economic development established in Italy and in Europe," said Michela Sciurpa, CEO of Sviluppumbria. "Working on its repositioning has entailed a broad and articulated commitment, which I undertook with the awareness of the importance of the new central and strategic role that the Umbria Region wanted to attribute to the Agency in the path started for the regional socioeconomic revitalization. Today Sviluppumbria is a profoundly transformed company, a point of reference for businesses and the territory and a facilitator of complex processes. As per the mandate received from President Donatella Tesei, in the last thirty months the Company's mission has been redefined to support the trajectories of innovation, internationalization, investment attraction, tourism promotion and enhancement of regional real estate assets; the Company's economic and financial balance has been guaranteed and consolidated with two consecutive budgets closed in profit; and a new organizational model capable of responding flexibly and quickly to the new needs of businesses and territories has been adopted. The tangible results achieved, which can be measured in terms of qualitative and quantitative growth in the number of entrustments, have been achieved within a framework of constant cost containment and savings of public resources. For this, my thanks also go to the entire Sviluppumbria team, which with dedication, competence and spirit of adaptation set out to translate the directives from the new governance in a short time."

"Sviluppumbria," concluded Michela Sciurpa, "today presents itself at the celebration of its 50th anniversary in perfect health, ready to face new challenges thanks to its demonstrated ability to listen, network and co-design. Programming of European funds 21-27, NRRP, support for the dual ecological and digital transition, establishment of a new task force for innovation and entrepreneurial discovery, increasingly effective and transparent communication and further revitalization of external relations. These are the main areas that will engage the Society to build together the future that Umbria deserves."

(Press release issued in cooperation with Agenzia UmbriaNotizie)