January 2013

Newsletter 1.2013

Italian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam Highlights:

Presidents letter. Vietnam, Italy vow to bolster all-round link. Vietnam Business Forum in Rome. H.O.P.E project. Ground breaking ceremony Ariston Thermo Industrial Vietnam. International convention at Hanoi University. Interview with Stefano CallegatiDirector of Bonfiglioli Vietnam. The 21th World Convention of Italian Chambers of Commerce abroad.

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PRESIDENTES LETTER
Dear members and friends, On behalf of Board of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (ICHAM), I wish you a prosperous 2013. Despite of a year 2012 full of difficult economic conditions, Icham continued to give its best with plenty activities in which business and networking. During the year, we also organized a meeting with Vietnamese customs, participate to Road Show Vietnam, organized seminar on Investiment, fiscal policy and salary policy, meeting with the European Ambassador Jessen, meeting with the Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long, run the Vietnam Desk in Florence and obtained the pre-adhesion from Assocamestero. We continued to keep our tight collaboration with the Embassy of Italy to Vietnam and Italian Trade Commission. This relationship was enhenced by different activities throughout the year. In 2012, we had a strong group, among this: new concillors who are Leonardo Buscaroli, Enrico Rossi, Van Tinh Tran Le in Ho Chi Minh City and Luca Dalla Vecchia in Hanoi; and new staff: Angela Giudici and Truong Thi My Hoa in Ho Chi Minh City and Nguyen Thi Hien in Hanoi. Specially, I would like to thank Paolo Fornari and Fabio Albanese for their contribution during 2012 together with Executive Director Pham Hoang Hai. The year 2013 will be demanding since there will be many activities for the 40th Anniversary Diplomatic Relationship between Italy and Vietnam. We are looking forward to your support, your encouragement and your participation in all ICHAMs activities, as well as constructive criticism in order to improve our quality. On occasion of new Lunar year of the Snake, I wish you all a wonderful Tet. Chc mng nm mi! With warm regards, Michele DErcole ICHAMs President ICHAMs Council

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VIETNAM, ITALY VOW TO BLOSTER ALL -ROUND LINKS

Hanoi, January 10th 2013. The development of bilateral defence cooperation between Vietnam and Italy was an important pillar in the strategic partnership between the two countries, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at a meeting with visiting Italian Minister of Defence Giampaolo Di Paola. Paola said Italy was willing to partner with Vietnam in defence especially in shipbuilding and training. Both host and guest affirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability and maritime security in the East Sea. They emphasised the needs to settle disputes peacefully in line with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and to implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Partries in the East Sea. Dung said he was happy that Paolas visit to Vietnam came as the countries celebrate the 40th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties. He also espressed appreciation for the recent talks between Paola and his Vietnamese counterpart, Phung Quang Thanh, and hoped that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trongs upcoming visit to Italy would lift the strategic partnership to a new level. (Vietnam News)

President DErcole, Minister Di Paola, Ambassador Angeloni in HCM.

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VIETNAM BUSINESS FORUM A ROMA

Rome - January 21th 2013, Confinindustria Roma, in collaboration with Agency for Foreign Commerce and Embassy of Vietnam to Italy, received a delegation from Socialist Republic of Vietnam, lead by Minister of Planning of Vietnam. The Minister, who took part in an official delegation from Vietnam lead by the Party Secretary General of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, illustrated the opportunities for cooperation between the Italian enterprises and the Vietnamese ones, particularly in Hi-Tech, Information Technology, Communication, Energy, Mechanics, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Tourism. The meeting, which had more than 150 Italian enterprise-participants, was an important occasion to know more in detail about legislative and politic issues in Vietnam and to discuss with the Vietnamese authorities. At the meeting, the Minister of Economic Planning stated that the economic relationship between the two countries still had much to be improved. He said that Vietnam was becoming more and more a market-oriented economy with favorite regulars for investment from abroad . The favorite sectors for investment are: infrastructure, manufacturing and green energy, all these sectors are without doubt an advantage for the Italian companies due to their high quality and high competitiveness. One of the moderators was President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (ICHAM) Michele DErcole who showed to audiance which role ICHAM had in giving supports to enterprises, an overview on presence of Italian companies in Vietnam; on collaboration between ICHAM and Embassy of Italy to Vietnam, Embassy of Vietnam to Italy and others Institutions. Moreover, ICHAM made a stable and strategic collaboration with Italian institutions such as: The UNIONCAMERE Emilia Romagna and Agency for the Economic Development of the Tuscany Toscana Promozione. Regarding Italian enterpreneur aspect, Vietnam could offer various possible strategies: from one side, manufacturing products for markets around the world, and from another side, developing products specifically for Vietnamese market and Asian ones. Besides this, locating in Vietnam could give investors the possibility to export to other country members of ASEAN without paying importation tax (starts from 2015). In order to promote Italian investments in Vietnam, a better information quality should be done. Having done so, more and more Italian companies will come contributing their know -how, quality, creativity and technology.

ICHAMs President Michele DErcole among moderators at Vietnam Business Forum in Rome.

President DErcole and PM Monti, President Napolitano and Party Secretary General of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.

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SEMINAR: TR ADING PERSPECTIVES BETWEEN ITALY AND VIETNAM

21/01/2013 - Colleggio di Commercio e Turismo di Hanoi. With the scope to promote the knowledge around bilateral trade and commerce between Italy and Vietnam, and to suppor t the project H.O.P.E, Ichams Secretary General Mr. Pham Hoang Hai hosted the seminar Trading perspectives between Italy and Vietnam. Objective of the seminar was to give a general view to students about the trade opportunities between the two countries in 2013 and in the years ahead. H.O.P.E is a project financed by the Italian, fighting against unemployment of young people in Ha Noi, providing a professional training to young Vietnamese before they can enter the professional world, especially Tourism and Hospitality Industries. ELIS association and Colleggio di Commercio e Turismo di Hanoi were the major partners.

Executive Director Pham Hoang Hai at the seminar.

GROUND BRE AKING CEREMONY ARISTON THERMO INDUSTRIAL VIETNAM

On December, 6th, 2012, at Tien Son Industrial Park, Ariston Thermo Industrial Vietnam held the Ground Breaking Ceremony of its plant. HE Lorenzo Angeloni, Italian Ambassador in Vietnam and Mr. Nguyen Tien Nhuong, Member of Bac Ninh provincial Party Standing committee, Vice Chairman of Bac Ninh provincial Peoples Committee. The new plant has total area of 5 ha with total investment of 18 million USD and employs Italian water heater production line and on-site waste water treatment system. It is the Groups second largest one in Asia. It will come in to operation in February, 2014 with the capacity of 1 million products per year, mainly supplying Vietnam and South East Asia Markets. Once in operation, it is expected that over 200 employees from Bac Ninh and surrounding areas will work here. Mr. Nguyen Tien Nhuong requested competent authorities to support the cooperate in construction and operation in Bac Ninh. Mr. Stefano Cartoni, Commercial Director of Ariston Thermo Asia Pacific cum General Director of Ariston Thermo Vietnam said that the kick-off new plant demonstrate the Groups Committee to long- term investment in Vietnam Market. Once in Operation, the new plant in Bac Ninh will become Ariston Thermo Groups 20th produciton hub in the world.

Honored guests start the ceremony.

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R ESE ARCH AND TE ACHING OF ITALI AN LANGU AGE AND CULTURE IN VIE TN AM
With the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the department of Italian studies at the University of Hanoi, a international conference was organized about: Teaching Italian in Vietnam: perspectives and didactic. Participants and moderators: S.E. Ambassador Lorenzo Angeloni, Deputy Director of Hanoi University Prof.Nguyen Dinh Luan, Deputy Director of University for Foreigner of Perugia Prof.ssa Stefania Giannini, ICham President Michele DErcole and the Director of the Italian Department Prof. Pham Bich Ngoc etc.. The President DErcole talked about the presence of Italy in Vietnams Economy and possible interactions between companies and universities. This is the first of a series of events that are being organized for the 40 anniversary of diplomatic relationships between Italy and Vietnam. The event attracted students of the Italian department but also students and lecturers from other departments.

Ambasciatore Angeloni, Prof.Tidona, Prof.Ngoc, Presidente DErcole

LINTERVISTA CON STEFANO CALLEGATI

1) Give a brief description of yourself your family and education. Live at the maximum with no limits. I am 45 years old and I live 15 thousands Km from my beloved country, Italy, attracted by invisible energy. Discovering Asia and being witness and part of this continent which travels fast and quickly unknown by old Europe. I have an MA in Engineering of minerals but I did not use it as I refused a research contract with AGIP because I needed more motivations and new things. I accepted to work in Fiat, sector industrial machines, responsible for structural steel work. My father and mother did not judge but looked confused about my choices: "I will have to manage the most important asset a company can have," I told them .... "people and their skills." Since that day, it was my job. Welding, assembly and finally assessing quality.... these 7 years have formed me. That's how I grew up, from the ashes of my experiences and like the phoenix "reborn" louder and louder and more and more aware of my limitations and then of my ability, ready for new challenges and new goals. Bonfiglioli before a brief period of four years to Landini tractors, the historic Italian brand. I am responsible for starting projects ... a wonderful

Stefano Callegati e famiglia.

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piece of our country, a vast know-how available to me. I now come to the Bonfiglioli as a director in one of the group's factories near Modena. After four years of hard work but highly satisfying I put back everything into question and accepted the challenge that the company finally offered me: Vietnam. A cultural change, management and new responsibilities awaiting for me are the magnet that attracts me relentlessly, my little piece of Asia is waiting for me. My family: a wife and a wonderful son. Two traveling companions irreplaceable and unique. She is a pharmaceutical chemist and former researcher. Her first great love.... organic chemistry. When I knew he was responsible for product development in the medical device industry but to follow me and take care of our child has been able to put in the drawer all his life. Matthew, 4 years ... a feature of all: a brat with a capital M, but a sensitivity disarming. This is my world, the three of us, to discover Asia and with the desire to get back on the game. 2) How did you come to Vietnam? Did you know the region before coming? I followed my instinct and thought that the role of my job was a good challenge for me. Bonfiglioli trusted me and I decide to come with my family in 2011. What I know about SEA is from TV news I heard when I was a kid: a wonderful country, peaceful people violated by human stupidity which remained in my memories. Indochina at school was described as the land of rice, silk, smiling faces. This was the picture I had in my mind. 3) Have you ever had working experiences abroad? In the USA with the group CASE during the merger of New Holland. It was a project to merge two big industrial groups in one big platform, after the analysis of both companies. 4) Have you already visited Vietnam? Yes, Ive been to Hanoi, rural areas, Mekong Delta, the red dunes of Mui Ne, the wonderful Phu Quoc, the astonishing Ha Long Bay, magical Hoi An and the green Dalat.

5) How is your relationship with your Vietnamese colleagues? It has never been easy for many reasons. I came to Vietnam with a managerial mind set, Italian and target oriented, and I had to change completely. My relationship with my colleagues has been developing and we have been looking to find a balance. It is important not to fall into stereotypes or everything would crash. I started from building everyday human relationships trying to erase the distances and social barriers. It is important to be patient and not to prevent situations or attitudes as here the concept of time and relationships is totally different. 6) From an Italian living abroad, what do you think about the current situation in Italy ? Definitely Italy is suffering one of its worst time in the last 15 years, or at least I dont remember any other worse period . But from Asia, the zone which so many people is talking about, I see some hopes . Not because of being far from Europe, the problems are less but from an Italian point of view, our works and our experiences are very appreciated abroad. I just take one example, the Italian brands in fashion and in other sectors are considered in a different level among many competitors. The Made in Italy has an unestimatable value in Asia. In Asia, many companies could make anything to

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falsify an Italian products and the Italian enterprises should remember this before relocating the production abroad, especially in fashion sector. Creativity and quality gained in years of experience (textitle and working technics) could not be copied even by the most prepared Chinese companies. What I miss, perharps, the daily life experience which gives you the real sensation of things and a picture of this very moment when people dont believe in the future anymore and lackness of reaction in front of the most important challenges, having said so, Id suggest we react and look for new challenges, new opportunities. Ive always told my partners: putting mud into distrust gives only stimulation and encouragement for the recovery. Italy of talents and fantasy could not be shut down by this listlessness upsidedown our wonderful country. Since Im in Asia, Ive realized more and more how beautiful is our country and this is a treasure to take care of, as example for other treasures of the world. 7) For the ones who dont know what do you do, please give a brief desciption of what Bonfiglioli produces? The company mission is to satisfy its clients through products and services: Bonfiglioli is a company which aims at concept and carry out trustable solutions for control and power transmission in industry..... all of this encouraging and promoting sharing plans of sustainable development, a responsible service, reactive and client-oriented. 8) If you could turn back the hand of time, what would you have done and what not? I am a pragmatic answer then thinking about what I would do in the future by building on past experience. I would continue to put the passion and dedication that I always put in everything I do, if you work with dedication, passion and having the necessary capacity plus the right amount of luck that should not be underestimated, they often reach their targets. I believe, moreover, that behind a successful business in many cases there is a strong family and serene to help us make the right distance from the problems may therefore lose touch with reality and with themselves, so I will try to maintain the important balance with my wife and my son, my two wonderful traveling companions to whom I owe much. 9) Which is the last book that you read? THE END IS MY BEGINNING (Tiziano Terzani Ed. Longanesi &C.) which talks about the life experience of a journalist/ writer who spent most of the time in his life to understand sense of life. I found myself in many of his considerations and his senses of life. 10) In Chapter XVII of the Prince Machiavelli stated: "the prince to be loved and feared at the same time, if one of these components should fail is preferred before!" Share this claim? If so, can you tell me the reasons ? Actually, where sharing a goal is through simple mechanisms and manageable via the direct relationship and staff who should take home the goal, I need to use these relatively mechanisms. This is because the estimate and sharing can surely overcome. If the systems become more complex and reports are stratified multi-level control mechanisms become more porous layer by layer: there may not be a clear perception of the objectives and of the ruler. It then becomes necessary to have the tiller in hand otherwise it is easy not to risk the government system although I always prefer to stay in the middle. The mechanism elemetare of "stick and carrot" that often helps to disentangle this effect, always being careful to not abuse either in one way or another or risk the inevitable marked tolerance.

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11) Do you have any hobby? If so, what are they? Definitely music and reading as well as physic exercises: swimming and a little of tennis. 12) What are your plans for the future? One is to create, in the light of future challenges that the company might consider addressing in this part of the world, a facility manager Vietnamese autonomous and mature so that they are able to withstand the pressure that new challenges will inevitably and without depending on too far from the center. The good manager as I see it is to use the competencies assigned to it that the enormous human assets of the company, so employees can create pilot the ship, giving them only the route or at least only the port d 'arrival as a goal. That would mean you have created value for the company, and for them to have created the conditions for me to be able to face future challenges in other parts of the world. Now the rest focused on objectives in the short and medium term, long-term projects are likely to distract us from reaching those of "tomorrow." I learned to live without having prospects and put in play, this is what life has taught me not to be afraid of change when it's worth it. The interview done by Treasurer Tran Le Van Tinh and Ms.Monica Marchesini

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2 1 CON VE N TI ON M O NDI ALE D E LLE C AM E R E D I C OM M E R CIO I T ALI ANE AL LE S TE R O

Perugia: 13 16 OCTOBER 2012. The world wide convention of Italian Chambers of commerce abroad was organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Perugia with the cooperation of Unioncamere, Assocamere and Umbria Trade Agency. All chairmen, General Secretaries of 68 of the 76 Chambers of commerce took part to the event. Activities started with a greeting from the CCIAA Perugia president, G.Mencaroni and Assocamere Estero President A.Strianese who stressed the importance of a direct link between CCIAA and all CCIE for a look toward internationalization. During the area meeting

Asia & South Africa, with Pina Costa representative of Assocamenre, Andrea Bonardi - President of Chamber in Singapore was reelected Area representative. And automatically Board member of Assocamenreestero. Chambers attending the event: UAE (120 members with $650,000), Hong Kong (230 members with $300,000), Vietnam (50 members with $50,000), China (500 members with $1,000,000), South Africa (250 members with $250,000), Singapore (170 members with $500,000), India (1,200 members with $1,400,000), Japan (160 members with $400,000), Thailand (200 members with $190,000) and Pakistan (24 members with

$200,000). All chambers presented 2012 activities and 2013 projects and agreed on hosting the next Area meeting in April 2013 in Tokyo. The meeting showed once again the benefit to meet and share communal projects, analyzing methodologies and confronting on strategies of business development. The Chamber in Japan asked ICham to prepare a Country presentation of Vietnam.
Above: Meeting between representatives of Italian Chambers of Commerce in Asia. Under: ICHAMs President DErcole with President of Italian Chamber in Singapore and Sec.Gen in India.

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D I ALOG UE WI TH P R ES IDE NT OF THE E UR OP E AN C OU NC IL H. E. HER M AN VAN R OM P U Y

On the 2nd November 2012, EuroCham was honoured to welcome the President of the European Council, H.E. Mr. Herman Van Rompuy to a Special Dialogue with the European business community during a business lunch at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza in Ho Chi Minh City. Along with the President of the European Council, other representatives from the Delegation of the EU to Vietnam, including Head of Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam, Ambassador Franz Jessen, Minister Counsellor, Head of Economics and Trade Section, Mr

Jean-Jacques Bouflet, and Head of Politics, Press & Information Section, Andrea Rossi, were present. This was the first visit of H.E. Mr. Herman Van Rompuy to ASEAN and his only meeting with the business community. The event attracted more than 130 attendants, predominantly EuroCham members from large and multinational companies in Vietnam. H.E. Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, provided insights from his meetings with the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Secretary General of the

ICHAM President DErcole (first on the left) and Eurocham Vice President Andreatta (third on the left) at the meeting

Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Prime Minister of Vietnam and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Vietnam. He said that during his meetings he had conveyed a strong message on the need to carry out governance and structural reforms to make the economic trend sustainable and attractive for investors, especially those from the EU and he underlined the need for Vietnam to establish a transparent, predictable and stable regulatory framework, free of corruption to ensure investment.

MEETING AT ITALIAN DEPARTMENT IN HO CHI MINH CITY

January 28 th 2013 HCMC. Ichams representatives were invited to participate and speak during the meeting of the Italian department at the University of Social Science, HCMC, with Professor Maurizio Silvestrini, University for Foreigners of Perugia. The event celebrated the renewal of cooperation agreement among Italian and Vietnamese universities and the ufficializations of the presence of the Italina department in HCMC. It was a great occasion to meet young Vietnamese students, and see all improvements these students have been doing speaking Italian as a foreign language. Professor An, organizer of the event, is the new director of the Department and thanked ICham for taking part to this event and for future co-operations between ICham and the students.