Buona sera! Sono molto lieto di essere di nuovo a Milano per la cerimonia annuale dei Transatlantic Awards di AmCham. Anche quest’anno siamo qui per celebrare i successi delle aziende italiane e americane che continuano a crescere grazie agli investimenti nei rispettivi mercati e sulle persone.
I would also like to greet Minister of Institutional Reforms Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati and Minister of Economy and Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti (TBC) and the other distinguished representatives of the Italian government here today. And a special thank you to my friend, Ambassador Mariangela Zappia, for being such a great partner.
Finally, I would like to thank the American Chamber of Commerce, especially President Stefano Lucchini, Managing Director Simone Crolla, and former President Luca Arnaboldi, as well as the Italian and American businesses who make up AmCham’s membership. We are grateful for AmCham’s steadfast partnership in supporting bilateral commercial ties.
Among the many highlights of the past year, the SelectUSA Summit in Washington stands out as an example of our shared effort to promote trade and investment. Building on that momentum, our commercial team is organizing a roadshow from March 18–20, bringing representatives from over 20 U.S. states to Treviso, Bologna, and Milan to connect with Italian businesses and showcase opportunities to invest in the United States.
Looking ahead, the 2025 SelectUSA Summit will take place in Washington from May 11–14. For those of you considering investing or expanding in the United States, this is a must-attend event, and registration is already open.
Our strong trade and investment relationship continues to thrive, fueled by innovation on both sides of the Atlantic. Two-way trade is on track to exceed the $126 billion achieved in 2023. Bilateral investment reached $79 billion last year, with American companies announcing significant new investments in Italy, creating thousands of jobs.
For example:
- Eli Lilly is investing €750 million to expand its production site in Sesto Fiorentino, and Johnson & Johnson is investing an additional €125 million in its Latina plant.
- Amazon opened a €120 million logistics center in Alessandria, and Amazon Web Services announced a €1.2 billion data center expansion up here near Milan.
- And Microsoft has announced a €4.3 billion investment in infrastructure for cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
These investments demonstrate the deep connections between our business communities and the many opportunities Italy offers.
Still, I believe even more American investment will flow into Italy if we can address some of the challenges businesses face here, such as slow judicial and bureaucratic processes and a sometimes unpredictable tax and regulatory environment.
My friends in the Italian government have expressed their commitment to attracting more investment. I know they are sincere in their desire to improve the business climate, and I encourage you to continue engaging with Italian authorities to let them know what you need to increase investment and grow your business. In these efforts, please continue to count on support from the U.S. Mission and our Commercial and Economic teams at our Embassy in Rome and our Consulates in Milan, Florence, and Naples.
Tonight, we celebrate remarkable achievements that highlight the strength of the U.S.-Italy partnership, rooted in shared values and mutual opportunities for Italian and U.S. businesses. Congratulations to all the winners!
Quella di questa sera è la mia ultima occasione per incontrare molti di voi. Mia moglie Carla e io sappiamo quanto siamo stati fortunati e privilegiati ad essere qui in Italia in rappresentanza del Presidente e del popolo americano. Vorrei cogliere questa opportunità per dire “grazie” a nome di Carla e mio per il calore, l’ospitalità e l’amicizia del popolo italiano.
So che lascio questo paese con un’amicizia bilaterale che è più forte che mai e che questa amicizia continuerà in futuro. Di nuovo grazie. Grazie a Stefano, Simone, AmCham, e tutti voi. Grazie ancora e che Dio benedica l’Italia e gli Stati Uniti d’America.