Borsa italiana sale, exclusive talks with Euronext: statement by CEO Messina

After London Stock Exchange Group confirms exclusive talks with Euronext regarding Borsa Italiana deal, Carlo Messina, CEO of Intesa Sanpaolo, commented:

"We are very pleased to be part of Euronext's project for Borsa Italiana, all the more so following the London Stock Exchange Group's decision to enter into exclusive talks.

"We are fully convinced that Euronext's project will strengthen Europe's financial backbone. The combination will unite the respective strengths of Euronext and Borsa Italiana, drawing on their complimentary areas of leadership. The proposal stands out as a concrete step towards the goal of European capital markets union, building on Euronext's extended footprint that includes many of Europe's main stock exchanges and bringing together a wide range of market-leading services.

"The project also foresees further development of the activities related to MTS, the trading platform for government bonds, already a point of excellence in Europe. The know-how and professionalism of Borsa Italiana, together with its Elite program for fast-growing companies, will continue to benefit Italian businesses - particularly the country's base of solid SMEs that are looking to scale up and internationalize - by providing access to growth capital and essential services that make them more competitive globally."