Obiettivo Italia 2026 – Geopolitics and global markets: how to navigate the landscape? Third stop: Lonato del Garda
Lonato del Garda remains a key stop on the Obiettivo Italia 2026 tour: a natural meeting point between Lombardy and the North-East, where the dynamism of the local business community meets a strong commitment to innovation and international markets. It is here that Intesa Sanpaolo’s IMI Corporate & Investment Banking Division has brought together entrepreneurs, managers and representatives of the public sector for a discussion on geopolitical challenges and growth strategies in an increasingly complex global landscape.
The region clearly reflects the trajectory of many Italian businesses: competitiveness built on exports and transformative capabilities, with anticipated investments in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and self-generated energy. In this context, the Italian Network of the IMI CIB Division supports around 6,000 companies linked to over 1,100 corporate and institutional groups, with average cash loans reaching €31 billion in 2025, equivalent to approximately 40% of the national total.
Mauro Micillo, Head of the IMI CIB Division, opened the proceedings, highlighting the purpose of the initiative: to stand by businesses not only with services and advice, but with concrete solutions to tackle volatility and uncertainty. In particular, the Division provides specialist tools for hedging the main financial risks—from commodities to foreign exchange and interest rates—to support more informed and sustainable investment and growth decisions over time.
As the evening progressed, the focus then broadened to the global landscape. Maurizio Molinari, the event’s guest speaker, emphasised how technology has become the central battleground for competition between the major powers: from artificial intelligence to semiconductors, right through to digital infrastructure, with direct implications for strategic autonomy, regulations and the resilience of supply chains.
This was followed by an analysis by Gregorio De Felice, Chief Economist and Head of Research, who offered a macroeconomic perspective on current trends, linking the latest developments to their economic and financial impacts: energy, inflation, growth and monetary conditions, within a framework where the duration of tensions over energy routes and infrastructure also plays a key role.
The concluding remarks were delivered by Gaetano Micciché, Chairman of the Division, confirming the central role of Obiettivo Italia in the dialogue with the business community and the Group’s commitment to supporting businesses in interpreting the current landscape and transforming uncertainty into growth opportunities.
Obiettivo Italia is the national series of meetings organised by Intesa Sanpaolo’s IMI Corporate & Investment Banking Division, dedicated to engaging with businesses on the drivers of transformation—including international scenarios, risk management and innovation—and will continue over the coming months with new events across the country, with the aim of maintaining a constant and structured dialogue with the business community.
