 On 31st March - 1st April, IMBA Secretary General attended the 2019 Area Meeting of the Italian Chambers of Commerce in Asia and South Africa, held in Bangkok.
Being the first Area Meeting for IMBA, it was a great opportunity to develop the relationship with our colleagues operating in other countries as well as to better understand how the Italian Chambers can cooperate together to support Italian business abroad. Congratulations to the Thai - Italian Chamber of Commerce (TICC) for the impeccable organization!
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 We are pleased to announce that, as of March 11th, 2019, Vincenzo Alaimo, Managing Director of AgustaWestland Malaysia (Leonardo Helicopters), is the new President of IMBA.
During the latest IMBA Committee Meeting, Bruno Bertella relinquished his position as IMBA President due to his professional committments, which will see him relocate to another country soon, and Vincenzo Alaimo has been appointed as the new President of IMBA. Our Committee found in Vincenzo Alaimo the right candidate to substitute Bruno Bertella and take the leadership of our Association to continue its growth and development in the future, supported by the Committee and our staff.  Last week, a delegation from IMBA was invited to visit UniKL MIDI, Malaysia Italy Design Institute, formerly known as UniKL IPROM, Institute of Product Design and Manufacturing.
On the occasion, the IMBA delegation discussed with Prof. Darulihsan Abdul Hamid, Dean of UniKL MIDI, and his staff on potential collaboration opportunities between our Association and the university to further develop their programmes. Unikl MIDI combines theoretical and hands-on learning approach to produce graduates with exemplary aesthetic, analytical and manufacturing skills. Equipped with advanced manufacturing machines and up-to-date design and manufacturing software, UniKL MIDI develops students to seamlessly adapt to the industrial environment. We are glad to share that FOOK KL has joined IMBA card as an Affiliate Partner!
IMBA members enjoy 10% discount on dining bill at their KL Tamarind Venues. Not applicable with other promotions. Applicable only upon presentations of valid IMBA Membership card. Tucked away on a hilltop and sheltered from the frenzied hubbub of central Kuala Lumpur, let the duality of eccentricity and mystery seduce you. The Chinese word for prosperity, FOOK draws upon influences from East Asian cultures and culinary traditions. Relish a gastronomic evening at this luxe-lounge and restaurant, where the curation of cocktails is just as important as its cuisine and art. Within the kitchen, Chef Sombat Kokasemkul weaves his culinary magic, creating modern interpretations of traditional Asian dishes that excite and surprise the palate. Reinventing classics from China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, his creations are served as large plates, extolling the spirit of community and sharing. Spice up your night with creative farm-to-glass cocktail and specially curated list of organic wines, Asian sprites and a bespoke selection of liquors. Address: 19, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Bukit Bintang 50250 Kuala Lumpur Contact +603 2148 3700 Email: fook@tamarindrestaurants.com  On Tuesday, February 12th, a delegation from IMBA met the Minister of Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia, YB Datuk Darell Leiking, to discuss about business and investment opportunities between Italy and Malaysia.
The Minister highlighted several opportunities for collaboration, including product design and industrial and agriculture automation, and he expressed his interest to meet our community for a networking event soon. We would like to thank the Honourable Minister for this opportunity and we look forward to a fruitful collaboration in the near future.  
The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) in collaboration with Cosmetica Italia is organising the first Italian Cosmetic Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur!
Italian Cosmetic Exhibition provides the local companies the opportunity to create new acquisitions, strategic alliances in theinternational market, and keeping up-to-date on new trends and and innovative ideas. Key buyers from leading beauty industry, SPA Operators, wholesalers, distributors, importers, and retailers, beauty magazine editors and influencers. All participants MUST be registered. Open to trade professionals only. Location: MANDARIN ORIENTAL KUALA LUMPUR, OPAL AND PEARL BALLROOM (Ground Floor) Date: 23 & 24 JANUARY 2019 Time 10.00M - 6.00PM. To register, please click Here or email to Ms Yogeswary A Athimulam at kualalumpur@ice.it or call +603 2164 9931.  On Friday, November 16th, a delegation composed of H.E. Cristiano Maggipinto, Ambassador of Italy to Malaysia, Datin Paduka Halimah Abdullah, IMBA Vice-president, Enrico Giuntelli, IMBA Secretary General, and representatives from the Italian Trade Agency and MIDA attended the inauguration of STMicroelectronics R&D Center at Testhub Malacca.
The event was also attended by Fabio Gualandris, STM Executive Vice-president of Back-end Manufacturing & Technology and the management team from STM Automotive Discrete Group (ADG) based in Malaysia and Singapore. Testhub, a Malaysian company located in Batu Berendam Free Trade Zone in Malacca, will develop fully dedicated testing solutions for STM ADG products, manufactured in STM Muar. Prior to the inauguration of the R&D Center, the same delegation visited STM Muar, where CS Tan, General Manager of Manufacturing of STM Muar, showed the state of the art semiconductor manufacturing facility and Sebastiano Aparo, Senior Director of ADG Product Engineering, and Agelo Cutuli, Director of ADG Product Engineering Asia-pacific, presented the R&D activities performed by STM ADG division to the Ambassador and the other guests.  On October 31st, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia published Industry4WRD, the National Policy for Industry 4.0. The policy outlines a framework of strategies that will transform the manufacturing industry of the Country over the next decade.
The framework, called F.I.R.S.T. (Funding, Infrastructure, Regulations, Skills & Talent, Technology), will increase manufacturing contribution to the economy, improve productivity and innovation and increase the number of skilled workers in the country through: - Funding and outcome-based incentives - Enabling ecosystem and efficient digital Infrastructure - Regulatory Framework and Industry Adoption - Upskilling existing and producing future talent - Access to smart technology and standards The official document outlining the policy in detail can be downloaded at: http://www.miti.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/industry4WRD?mid=559#tab_547_1919  Congratulation to MITI, MIDA and MATRADE for the successful Investment Seminar organized in Milan on November 9th.
We would like to thank YB Datuk Isham Ishak, MITI Secretary General, for mentioning our Association on his keynote address. IMBA collaborates with MITI and all its agencies to promote Malaysia as the destination of choice in South-east Asia for Italian investments and trade. Italian companies interested to know more about business opportunities in Malaysia can contact us at services@imba.org.my. 2019 Budget & Tax Seminar on 26 Nov at Menara Hupseng by Rabin & Associates Chartered Accountants10/22/2018 Our corporate member, Rabin & Associates Chartered Accountants is organizing 2019 Budget & Tax Seminar on 26 November 2018 (Monday) at Kinabalu Auditorium, Menara Hupseng.
Join them at their Annual Tax Seminar to discuss the latest tax and SST developments including their practical applications. This full day seminar with hearty lunch is FREE on a first come, first served basis (limited to 1 delegate per company). For enquiries & Registration, please contact: Ms. Naandhinie naandhinie@rabinco.com.my +603 2711 0080 Ms. Sue Wong sue.wong@luther-services.com +603 2166 0085  According to Tetra Pak Index 2018, the online grocery segment in the country is expected to grow significantly and double its market share within the next three years.
Tetra Pak Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines MD John Jose said the widespread use of smartphones has contributed to the growth in online channel for the food category. Meanwhile, consumer market research company Kantar Worldpanel Malaysia's business group director Cynthia Su said that the food category has been charting a notable upward trend with one out of every three online shopper purchasing food items. This findings are consistent with the results of the market research conducted by Taylor's University postgrad students that we presented during the official launch of The Italian Emporium last August, which highlighted the interest of Malaysian online users to purchase Italian food products online. Our objective with The Italian Emporium is to capture this trend and bring authentic, high quality Made in Italy groceries into Malaysian homes through ecommerce. The original article can be found at the following link: https://themalaysianreserve.com/…/trend-boosts-online-groc…/ We are pleased to announce that our corporate member, RSM Malaysia is organizing the RSM Tax Seminar-2019 Budget on 15 November 2018 (Thursday) at Connexion Conference & Event Centre @ Nexus, Bangsar South City.
The 2019 Malaysian Budget Proposals will be announced and tabled in Parliament on 2nd November 2018 by the Minister of Finance, YB Lim Guan Eng. Join them at this year’s RSM Tax Seminar which will highlight the latest tax and SST developments and provide participants with a practical understanding of the key tax changes presented in the 2019 Budget Proposals. Regular fee for the seminar is RM550 per pax. IMBA members who register and pay before 30 October 2018 get a special fee of RM480 per pax. For registration, please email directly to iotseminar@rsmmalaysia.my or contact the following for any further clarification: Maya-03 26102831 (mayadevi@rsmmalaysia.my) Lynda-03 26102832 (lynda@rsmmalaysia.my) Kalvin-03 26102863 (kalvinders@rsmmalaysia.my)  On November 9th, the Malaysia-Italy Partnership: Business Opportunities in Malaysia as the Gateway to Asean Conference will take place at Excelsior Hotel Gallia, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Milan.
The event is organized by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia in collaboration with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority - MIDA and MATRADE HQ. We are proud to be one of the supporting organizations of the event, which we believe will improve the business relations between our two countries. The event is open to all business and organizations. To register, please follow this link:https://ent.evenesis.com/SITE/Trade-Investment-Mission-Milan.aspx  In a recent statement, Luigi Di Maio, the Italian Minister of Economic Development, said that it’s time for the Italian Government to work on a multilingual e-commerce portal to help Italian SMEs to export their products online. This statement sparked a heated debate, due to the analogies of this idea with several past and present online platforms.
Indeed, some detractors say that Di Maio’s idea sounds exactly like the currently active “Amazon.it - Made in Italy” portal, while others bring up the failed attempts from previous governments to create a National online platform, such as Italia.it and Verybello.it. While the idea of supporting SMEs to export their products online is praiseworthy, and even slightly overdue, in the execution of such project it is important to keep into consideration the behaviors of the target consumers. As a matter of fact, one of the main reasons of the failure of the aforementioned portals was the low traffic from overseas users. Simply put, foreign consumers were not aware of the existence of such websites and certainly the .it domain extension didn’t help. A more effective and efficient approach to support Made in Italy through e-commerce would be to leverage already existing platforms in the different regional markets, which already have a consolidated user base and a customer experience catered for their local consumers. This is way IMBA is collaborating with Lazada.com, the No. 1 e-commerce in South-east Asia, to launch The Italian Emporium, a portal inside Lazada dedicated to Made in Italy products and brands. Thanks to Lazada’s established presence, The Italian Emporium will reach millions of consumers in South-east Asia and will provide Italian companies with a digital window to showcase and sell their products in one of the highest growth regions in the world.  Yesterday, 05 September 2018 we attended the InvestKL Merdeka Day Dinner.
It was a great occasion to network with fellow Chambers of Commerce and Business Association as well with the Malaysian Ministries and Goverment Agencies. During the event, the panelists Y.B Khalid Abdul Samad, Minister of Federal Territories and Y.BHG. Datuk Isham Ishak, Secretary General of Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia, covered several topics regarding the joint efforts of the Malaysian Ministries and Goverment Agencies to further improve the living and business environment of Greater Kuala Lumpur. IMBA to showcase Italian foods at the Selangor International Expo 2018 - 6th- 9th September 20188/27/2018  Thanks to its partnership with Invest Selangor, IMBA secured an exhibition space at the Selangor International Expo 2018, taking place on 6-9 September 2018 at MITEC, Kuala Lumpur.
Back for its fourth edition, Selangor International Expo 2018 is a F&B trade specific expo which will feature industry players within the F&B industry in ASEAN. Exhibitors will tap to its unique offerings such as the business matching programme and hosted buyers programme to connect with top F&B brands within the region. In 2017, more than 22,000 visitors and 700 exhibitors were present at the Expo. IMBA will partner with selected Malaysian importers and distributors to showcase some of the best Italian food products available in Malaysia. Visitors are welcome to visit us at booths 216 and 217. For more information on the Expo, click here. If you are an importer and/or distributor of Italian food products and you are interested in exhibiting with us, please send an email to secgen@imba.org.my  On 13 August 2018, our Vice-President, Datin Paduka Halimah Abdullah, former Ambassador of Malaysia to Italy, attended a Networking Session with Chambers of Commerce, Business and Industry Associations with YB Darell Leiking, Minister of MITI, organized by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI).
During the session, the Minister emphasized the overall economic performance of Malaysia and the role of MITI under the new government to continue pursuing the open economic policy that encourages foreign investment and trade relations. This is already the second time that a representative of IMBA has met with the Minister and he expressed his interest to establish a regular dialogue with our Association. IMBA will follow up with the Minister and his staff to initiate a discussion on business opportunities between Italy and Malaysia and to organize a dialogue session event with our Members soon.  Yesterday, 2 August 2018, The Italian Emporium launch event took place at the Westin Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
The Italian Emporium is a unique online platform conceived and managed by IMBA, with the support of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) in Kuala Lumpur, which provides sellers an opportunity to feature their Made in Italy products on Lazada, the largest online platform in South-east Asia. We would like to thank all the vendors and guests who attended the event. In particular we would like to thank H.E. Cristiano Maggipinto, Ambassador of Italy to Malaysia, Hew Wee Choong, VP Investment & Industry Development of MDEC, Christophe Lejeune, CEO of Lazada Malaysia and Dr. Samuele Porsia, the Italian Trade Commissioner, for supporting the event and delivering their speech. We received very positive feedback from the vendors who attended the event, who expressed their interest in being part of this initiative. The first vendors will soon be online and ready to sell their goods through The Italian Emporium.  On 31st July 2018 an Italian institutional delegation composed of H.E. Cristiano Maggipinto, Ambassador of Italy to Malaysia, Bruno Bertella, IMBA President and Dr. Samuele Porsia, Trade Commissioner of the Italian Trade Agency, met with the Minister of International Trade and Industry Y.B. Ignatius Darell Leiking.
Present was also the Deputy Minister Y.B. Dr. Ong Kian Ming, accompanyed by high representatives of MITI and MIDA. The meeting, the first with the newly appointed Minister, was held in a very informal and relaxed atmosphere and a number of points related to the trade and investments between our two Countries were discussed. Our President has given a brief outlook of the Italian business community in Malaysia and exposed the features of most of our Members.  The Italian Emporium, a joint initiative between IMBA and Lazada Malaysia, is an e-commerce platform on Lazada website and mobile app dedicated exclusively to showcase Italian brands and Made in Italy products. This platform will initially allow sellers to reach buyers in Malaysia and Singapore, but soon it will give access to all South-east Asia markets, leveraging the Digital Free Trade Zone.
The Italian Emporium will be the first digital window for Made in Italy products and brands in South-east Asia. It will represent a great opportunity for vendors to gain traction in the e-commerce market in this growing digital era and to increase awareness among South-east Asia consumers about the value and quality of authentic Made in Italy products and brands. The Offical Launch event will take place on August 2nd at The Westin, Kuala Lumpur.  On Monday 25 June, 10 representatives of IMBA and the Ambassador of Italy to Malaysia, H.E. Cristiano Maggipinto, met the new Minister of Agriculture, YB Tuan Haji Salahuddin Ayub, at the Farmers' Organization Authority Building in Kuala Lumpur.
During the fruitful meeting, the delegation discussed with the Minister about collaboration opportunities between Italy and Malaysia in the agriculture sector and agro-based industry, with a particular emphasis on the application of Italian technology in agriculture automation and aquaculture. Afterwards, IMBA and the Ministry of Agriculture agreed on resuming their discussion on a follow up meeting soon.  On June 8th, during the 25th Annual General Meeting of the Eu-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EUMCCI), Mr. Luciano Pezzotta, IMBA Executive Committee Member, has been reelected as Director representing IMBA in the EUMCCI Board of Directors.
During his previous mandate, Mr. Pezzotta cemented the relationship between IMBA and EUMCCI, leading to several collaboration projects, including the EU-day Career Roadshow. In his electoral speech Mr. Pezzotta highlighted as the priority for his new mandate to strengthen the involvement of Italian companies in EUMCCI advocacy initiatives, a key platform for the EU business community in Malaysia to join forces and bring forward its strategic priorities, especially in this time of political change. IMBA would like to wish good luck to Mr. Pezzotta and all the newly elected EUMCCI Directors in their future endeavors.  It is a great pleasure for us to introduce our new Platinum Member, Invest Selangor Berhad.
Invest Selangor is a one-stop agency that provides information, advisory services, as well as start-up or expansion assistance to potential and existing investors in Selangor. Since their inception, they have attracted more than 4,900 manufacturing projects in the State, being thus indirectly responsible for the creation of 377,287 jobs and attracting more than RM138.6 billion worth of investments. IMBA is one of the Supporting Partners of Selangor International Business Summit, which is scheduled to take place from 6 to 16 September 2018 at Malaysia International Trade Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur. For more information about Invest Selangor and Selangor International Business Summit: http://www.investselangor.my/ http://www.selangorsummit.com/  On 25th April 2018, the new IMBA Committee has been elected during the Annual General Meeting of the Association.
The new Committee will be composed as follows: President: Mr. Bruno Bertella Honorary President: Mr. Michele Dossi Vice President: Datin Paduka Halimah binti Abdullah Treasurer: Dato' Robert Teo Executive Committee Members: - Mr. Luciano Pezzotta - Mr. Ugo Castellotti - Adm. Fernando Ferri - Mr. Francesco Grigolo - Mr. Cesare Basile - Dr. Enrico Magosso Secretary General: Mr. Enrico Giuntelli Thanks to all who participated and best wishes to the new Committee that will serve the Association for the next 2 years. |
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