Italy House, the new premises bringing together the Embassy, the ICE Agency and the Italian Cultural Institute, hosted an event presenting the services offered by sistema Italia, the local network of Italian institutions, in support of Italian companies in the United Kingdom.
The meeting, which opened with a message from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, provided an opportunity to introduce the new Italy House premises to a wide audience of businesses. The multifunctional venue, showcasing Italian design and art, brings together for the first time in London the three institutions of the Italy System.
Following opening remarks by designer Nick Vinson, curator of Italy House’s architectural project; the Director of Istituto Marangoni London, Fabio Rubino; and Jamilya Orak, a student at the Institute and winner of the competition to design Italy House’s new logo, presented the project and the meaning of the logo: a Roman bridge fused with London’s iconic Underground symbol, representing dialogue, diplomacy, creativity and cultural exchange.
The Representative of the Bank of Italy in the United Kingdom, Marika Cioffi, then outlined the country’s macroeconomic outlook. Officials from the Embassy’s Economic and Commercial Office — Umberto Bernardo, Jonas Badde and Maria Giulia Bufano — subsequently presented the main support activities for businesses, ranging from facilitating commercial contacts to promoting Italian success stories and providing assistance in resolving disputes. The 2026 calendar of promotional activities and the “Destination United Kingdom” guide, prepared by the Embassy, were also introduced.
The Italian Trade Agency, represented by Director Giovanni Sacchi and Aster Thackery, Head of the Investment Attraction Desk, presented the tools and extensive trade fair calendar designed to support the internationalisation of SMEs, as well as “OpportunItaly”, the platform run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and ICE to connect international demand with Italian supply.
Finally, in a coordinated system-wide approach, the Secretary General of the Chamber of Commerce, Walter Gumina, presented the Chamber’s activities.
The United Kingdom remains one of the main markets for Italian exports, which exceeded £29 billion in the January–November 2025 period (+1%). The UK is also among the largest foreign investors in Italy, with an FDI stock of €45.86 billion in 2024, compared with Italian investments in the UK amounting to €49.95 billion.
