EXETRA IS BORN, A COMPANY OF THE INTESA SANPAOLO GROUP ESTABLISHED TO PROMOTE “MADE IN ITALY” ABROAD

· The new trading company - a Group subsidiary - will focus on the purchase of Italian products and their sale on foreign markets 
· Exetra supports the international expansion of Italian companies, particularly SMEs, by acting as an outlet on foreign markets. 

Milan, 11 October 2019 - Intesa Sanpaolo has established Exetra, a trading company specialising in the purchase and sale of Italian products abroad.  The natural purpose of this business is to promote 'Made in Italy' on international markets and thus accelerating the internationalisation process of Italian companies. Exetra will sell ‘Made in Italy’ products, managing their marketing and promotion to foreign counterparties.

SCB Market Traders, a consulting firm founded by Sergio Castelbolognesi, is a partner in the initiative. Its mission is to support and assist Italian industrial companies in all their internationalisation processes by providing them access to its network of qualified relationships.

Exetra's Board of Directors is composed by: Teresio Testa - Head of Intesa Sanpaolo's SME Sales & Marketing Department (Banca dei Territori Division) - who has assumed the role of chairman, Sergio Castelbolognesi has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, Stefano Favale - Head of the Global Transaction Banking Department at Intesa Sanpaolo’s Corporate & Investment Banking Division -, Domenico Introzzi e Fulvio Pastore.

Exetra will focus on purchasing goods and technologies produced in Italy by small and medium-sized companies and subsequently place them on international markets. This will increase the spread of ‘Made in Italy’ and the interest of its potential buyers.

Exetra's operations are part of the support activities that the Intesa Sanpaolo Group provides companies in market analysis, customer search, or by issuing international performance and advance payment guarantees.

Teresio Testa, Head of Intesa Sanpaolo's SME Sales & Marketing Department (Banca dei Territori Division) and Chairman of Exetra, stated: "Thanks to the establishment of Exetra we will be able to further enhance the promotion of 'Made in Italy' goods by supporting the growing demand for quality Italian products. With this initiative, the Intesa Sanpaolo Group is increasing the range of tools available to companies, further promoting their international expansion, and access to new markets. Thanks to the expertise of our structures in terms of analysis, ability to network on the main foreign markets, and experience in international guarantees and advanced payment systems, we put Italy’s production system in the best position to establish itself and compete at a high level even in new markets”.

Sergio Castelbolognesi, CEO of Exetra, added: "Our ambition is to make Exetra the point of reference for all the different entities that work to promote foreign trade in Italy, whether they are companies or institutions. With Exetra we want to create a networked system and thus provide practical solutions to Italian companies that, on a daily basis, have to contend with competitors from countries where a national network system is the key to success in a global marketplace".

Stefano Favale, Head of the Global Transaction Banking Department at Intesa Sanpaolo’s Corporate & Investment Banking Division and director of Exetra, concluded: "with Exetra we are able to better support Italian companies, providing them with practical assistance for selling their goods abroad, thanks to a team with high levels of expertise in the markets in which the goods are sold, knowledge of their potential final purchasers and of the rules and regulations for their export".

Intesa Sanpaolo
Media Relations Corporate & Investment Banking
Tel: +39 02 8796 2925
stampa@intesasanpaolo.com 
www.intesasanpaolo.com/it/news.html

About Intesa Sanpaolo 
Intesa Sanpaolo is one of the most solid and profitable banks in Europe, providing wealth management, consumer banking, corporate and investment banking, asset management and insurance. As the market leader in Italy, Intesa Sanpaolo serves nearly 12 million customers through digital and traditional channels. The Group’s international subsidiary banks provide for an additional 7.2 million customers in Central Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. 
Intesa Sanpaolo is recognized as one of the most sustainable banks in the world. The Group believes that value creation should be interpreted broadly, supporting social purpose and driving the real economy.  As part of its commitment to sustainable growth, Intesa Sanpaolo has created a €5 billion financing facility dedicated to the circular economy. The Group’s large-scale project for economic inclusion and poverty alleviation includes a Fund for Impact to provide €1.2 billion in loans to those parts of society that find access to credit difficult.
Intesa Sanpaolo is deeply committed to cultural initiatives that it promotes on its own and together with partners in Italy and abroad, including permanent and temporary exhibits of the vast artistic patrimony of the Gallerie d’Italia, the Group’s three museums located in Milan, Naples and Vicenza. 
 
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