Romano Prodi Headlines Leadership Event with Andersen
The Italian member firm of Andersen Global, yesterday held a prominent policy event featuring Romano Prodi, the former president of the European Commission. The assemblage focused on globalization in the political environment and was held during the 2018 IBA Annual Conference, currently underway this week in Rome, Italy.
The lectio magistralis, titled Doing Business Globally: How to Contend with the Global Economic and Political Environment, was delivered to a selected parterre of guests invited by the European Partners of Andersen Global´s member and collaborating firms. Andrea De Vecchi and Paolo Mondia, European Regional co-Managing Partners for Andersen Global, introduced Prodi, also known to Italians by the nickname “The Professor”. Prodi, who inaugurated this morning the IBA 2018 opening ceremony this year, served as president of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004, and served two terms as the Prime Minister of Italy, the first from 1996 to 1998 and the second from 2006 to 2008.
Globalization and challenges of political risks for businesses operating in the international economy were discussed by speakers, hosts and guests. “This is an era in which scenarios, where public and private organizations are called to operate, are fluid and changeable”, said Professor Prodi. “The international development of companies largely benefits from the support of organizations such as Andersen, formed by legal and tax professionals with transversal expertise and ability to offer transnational and seamless services. In today’s business environment, operational solutions must be adequate and increasingly innovative”.
“The integration of economies and societies driven by globalization, matches the practice and culture of our firm,” says De Vecchi. “Seeking international growth by going global is a need for growth-minded business owners. Analysis, assessment and management of the different types of political risk is crucial for success in these circumstances.”
Also present to address the crowd was H.E. Wolfgang Petritsch, a former EU-Special Envoy for Kosovo and UN-High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He shared his reflections on the topic of globalization and gave highlights from his new publication, Turning Point: our digital authoritarian century (“Epochenwechsel”).
“The process of globalization,” explains Paolo Mondia, “implies the progressively uninhibited flow of ideas, human resources, goods, services, assets, and capital. Our event provided the opportunity to talk about the evolving global political environment and discuss strategies to mediate political, social, and policy risks, and to identify them prior to investment in foreign business activities.”
The event was hosted in the Terrazza Civita, facing the Altare della Patria monument, with views of the Imperial Fora and the Colosseum.