Roberto Pietrantonio takes office as Unrae's president
Fresh Take:
Ridoing the wheel as the 12th President of Unrae, the national powerhouse of foreign automobile representatives representing around 70% of Italy's car market, Roberto Pietrantonio steps up with a mission to serve and lead. Hailing from the ranks of Mazda Italia, he's setting his sights on a modern, effective Unrae.
The Plan
"To build a legacy worthy of Unrae's 75 year history, I'm pushing for open communication and strong relations as the foundation for Unrae's future," the Naples native shares. "My goals are to boost transparency, solidify our authority in the auto sector, and ensure top-notch analysis and proposals – all while maintaining unity and strength within the Association."
Taking Over the Helm
Bringing a technical background to the table, Pietrantonio joined Unrae's Board of Directors in 2016, regularly participating since 2020. Taking the seat from outgoing President Michele Crisci of Volvo Car Italia, the latter now given the title of Honorary President in recognition of his outstanding 8-year leadership and achievements.
"Unrae has been an invaluable intermediary between institutions and the media in the face of our industry's challenges," Crisci remarks, hopeful for Italy's ability to embrace advances in tech and foster strategic growth. "I'm optimistic for the Union and my successor."
Strengthening the Union
In the General Assembly, 5 new companies joined Unrae, bolstering its membership to 46 entities: BYD Industria Italia Srl, China Car Company Srl, Omoda & Jaecoo Automotive Italy Srl, Rossocorsa Srl, and SCHMITZ Cargobull Italia Srl. This recent growth carries Unrae forward, facing industry-shaping challenges and opportunities head-on.
Enrichment Insights:
- Unrae's new leader, Roberto Pietrantonio, has emphasized the importance of industry collaboration, advocacy, and innovation to ensure the Italian auto sector remains competitive in a transforming European market.
- Pietrantonio’s mandate inherently involves overseeing the industry’s transition towards electrification, with significant investments foreseen in the development of zero-emission vehicles.
- Critical to the Association’s success will be fostering collaboration with research institutions, government bodies, and forging dialogues with key stakeholders to shape policies in support of the sector's interests.
- Proactively addressing employment, GDP, and R&D investment impacts will be vital during the industry’s evolution towards a zero-emission future.
- Roberto Pietrantonio, Unrae's new president, aims to increase Unrae's influence in the financial sector, seeking to secure investments that will drive the transition of the automotive industry towards average electrification, setting a strong benchmark in the European market.
- In order to gauge the financial impact of this transition on the transportation industry, Pietrantonio plans to leverage Unrae's membership expansion to gather insights from diverse companies, enabling them to develop top-notch analysis and proposals that will ensure the sector's continued strength and growth.
