The international growth of Italian businesses: Economy & Finance and the strategies adopted by some of the country’s large groups was a topic that interested the foreign press this week. On Reuters looked into the food farming sector, writing about Ferrero, its recent significant US buy out and how its 2017 earnings were up (March 22 – Chocolate maker Ferrero reports 1.5 percent rise in revenue in 2017; the New York Times carried the same article – Chocolate Maker Ferrero Reports 1.5 Percent Rise in Revenue in 2017). The press agency also explained how acquisitions are also positively effecting the profits of another made in Italy brand, namely Lavazza (March 27 – Lavazza to focus on organic growth after acquisitions boost 2017 core profits; and that news also appeared in the New York Times – Lavazza to Focus on Organic Growth After Acquisitions Boost 2017 Core Profits).
News on the infrastructure came from Bloomberg that highlighted the efforts made by Snam to turn Italy into a gas exporting country (Bloomberg, March 19 – Italy Is Latest Nation to Become a Gas Exporter), whilst El Pais wrote about how the Benetton family had purchased a share of Cellnex from Abertis, thanks to the deal made with the Spanish operator by its infrastructure holding business, Atlantia (March 23 – La familia Benetton compra el 29,9% de Cellnex por 1.500 millones). On the other hand, Le Monde, explained how Trenitalia is getting ready to take advantage of the deregulation of French railways (March 22 – Trenitalia, premier concurrent de la SNCF à se déclarer officiellement*). Then Amplifon and its plans to extend its interests abroad was the subject of a piece by Reuters (March 26 – Italy’s Amplifon eyes acquisitions in Germany, France, Canada – CEO).
Culture – Leading cultural figures featured in several foreign papers this week, starting with Oriana Fallaci, who was the subject of a piece written by Cristina Di Stefano for the Washington Post (March 23 – Oriana Fallaci: the journalist, the agitator, the legend*), whilst Le Monde wrote about the “art of composing” as explained by the Italian-Belgian singer-songwriter Salvatore Adamo (March 26 – Un apéro avec Salvatore Adamo : « Je ne suis pas uniquement celui qui se languit d’amour »*). Italian music also featured in the New York Times in an article about the renewed interest by European audiences in Giovanni Battisti Pergolesi some three centuries after his death (March 27 – Unheard for 300 Years, Italian Mass Rediscovered*). However, for El Pais, it was architecture that was the focus of a piece about Teresa Sapey’s efforts to take on and complete a project initiated by Gio Ponti (March 27 – ¿Qué hace Gio Ponti en un garaje?) whilst it was psychoanalysis that featured in the paper’s interview with the psychiatrist Luigi Zoja, timed to coincide with the new Spanish edition of his book “Il gesto di Ettore”(March 28 – Luigi Zoja: “Vivimos en la dimisión del padre”).
Fashion also featured in a few articles in the foreign press this week. El Pais ran with a profile of Anna Dello Russo, a leading light in the world of Italian fashion, following the sale of her collection at a charity auction (March 22 – Anna Dello Russo vacía el armario por su aniversario) and Le Monde reviewed the latest Geox collection of women’s shoes designed by the Neapolitan, Ernesto Esposito (March 24 – Ernesto Esposito, chausseur pour dames*).
Tourism, Food & Wine were ideal subjects for articles that appeared in the run up to Easter. Die Welt was in the “enchanting town” of Galatina in Apulia to review what was on offer by a “masseria” (traditional farmhouse) that offers guests tradition and modern comforts (March 26 – Aus diesem Hotel möchte man nie wieder ausziehen) whilst it was the property market in Riva Ligure in the Italian Riviera that interested the New York Times (March 28 – House Hunting in … Italy). Food featured in an article, in El Pais’ style supplement, Icon, all about the all-new Gucci
Garden in Florence (March 23 – Así se come en casa Gucci) and again in a piece in Der Standard that provided readers with a traditional Easter recipe, pastiera napoletana (March 27 – Pastiera napoletana – der göttliche Osterkuchen).
*Article available for pay / at registration