London, March 17, 2024 – The Italian Embassy in London, under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, hosted the ninth edition of the Equity and Debt Investments in Italy Conference, the annual event organized by the law firm Legance – Avvocati Associati.
In the presence of the Italian Ambassador, Inigo Lambertini, and approximately 200 participants, including investors and financial operators from the City, the conference opened with remarks from Filippo Troisi, Founding and Senior Partner of Legance.
“This conference has become a key fixture in our annual program of activities and a highly anticipated event for London-based investors,” stated Ambassador Lambertini, expressing enthusiasm for the strengthened collaboration with Legance. The Ambassador also highlighted how the private equity market in Italy demonstrated resilience in 2024, recording an increase in the number of transactions compared to 2023, and expressed hope that this positive trend would continue in the current year.
The morning continued with three panel discussions. The first, “Long-term equity investments: market opportunities in all sectors, challenges, and lessons learned,” featured leading private equity professionals.
The event proceeded with a live-streamed intervention from Federico Freni, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The second panel focused on debt markets: “Unleashing debt capital markets: opportunities for private debt and alternative lenders in Italy.” This session also featured key players from the industry.
The day concluded with institutional addresses from Valentino Valentini, Deputy Minister for Enterprises and Made in Italy, and Alessandro Cattaneo, Chair of the UK-Italy Friendship Group in the Italian Parliament and Co-chair of the Pontignano Conference, followed by speeches from Barbara Cimmino, Vice President of Confindustria, Carlo Comporti, Commissioner of CONSOB, and Fabrizio Testa, CEO of Borsa Italiana.
“The government’s structural reforms have improved Italy’s attractiveness index for investors by 15 points,” said Deputy Minister Valentino Valentini. “Meanwhile, policies for Made in Italy have boosted exports of high-value-added products by 8.3%. Over the past two years, foreign direct investments in Italy have grown by 27%, with private equity achieving outstanding results. In 2024, investments reached a record €56.4 billion through 496 transactions, more than double the amount in 2023, making Italy the fourth-largest private equity market in Europe. The Italian market has shown remarkable dynamism, with a 13% increase in M&A transactions compared to the previous year. We will continue to enhance the Italian market by fostering collaboration between institutions, businesses, and investors to drive sustainable growth. This conference is an important platform for further consolidating the positive investment trend in our country.”
At the conclusion of the event, Marco Gubitosi, London Resident Partner of Legance, commented: “In the current global context, Italy is increasingly seen as a stable and attractive destination for medium- and long-term foreign investments. Over the next 18 months, we expect stability or an increase in equity and debt investments in Italy.”
Legance – Avvocati Associati is one of the leading Italian law firms.
With over 400 professionals, including 66 partners, and offices in Milan, Rome, and London, Legance ranks among the top Italian law firms in terms of size and revenue.
Practice areas include: Food Law; Environmental Law; Administrative Law; Insurance; Banking & Finance; Compliance; Litigation, Arbitration & ADR; Corporate Finance; Data Protection & Data Law; Debt Capital Markets; Energy & Infrastructure; Equity Capital Markets; ESG & Impact; Financial Intermediaries Regulations; Investment Funds; Employment & Industrial Relations; Life Sciences & Healthcare; Shipping & Transport; Non-Performing Loans; Corporate Criminal Law; Intellectual Property; Real Estate; Restructuring & Insolvency; Telecommunications, Media & Technology; Tax; EU, Antitrust & Regulation.
For more information, visit www.legance.it.
