ROMA, Saturday, November 30, 2019 (MERCURPRESS.IT) - The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) announces its support of #AmericaLovesVenice, a fundraising initiative to aid Venice’s recovery from recent flooding, organized by the Embassy of Italy and Save Venice, an American nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the artistic heritage of Venice. From November 12-17, Venice experienced the second worst flood in its recorded history. More than 85 percent of the city flooded, causing immense damage to its cultural and historical heritage and its businesses.

“On behalf of NIAF, we look forward to working closely with the Embassy of Italy and Save Venice to raise awareness and encourage financial support in the wake of this devastating flood,” said NIAF Board Chair Patricia de Stacy Harrison. “The Foundation is calling on the Italian American community and all those who recognize the city’s irreplaceable contributions to art, culture, heritage and history to donate and support Venice’s recovery.”

NIAF Board Chair Gabriel A. Battista said, “Venice is a cultural landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Raising awareness and funding for Venice aligns with NIAF’s mission to promote, protect and preserve Italian American heritage and to strengthen and empower ties between the United States and Italy. Over the years, the Foundation has fundraised millions of dollars in earthquake relief and church restoration projects in Italy because we know the importance of preserving history and culture for generations to come.”

Chairs Battista and Harrison working with NIAF Vice Chair of Cultural Affairs Anita Bevacqua McBride, Vice Chair International John F. Calvelli and Chairman NIAF Italia Joseph V. Del Raso, will coordinate efforts with Ambassador Armando Varricchio and the Embassy of Italy. Save Venice has activated an Immediate Response Fund for the artistic patrimony of Venice. Donations are accepted at www.savevenice.org/donate by selecting the Immediate Response Fund.

ROMA, Friday, November 29, 2019 (MERCURPRESS.IT) - For centuries, art has been considered not only something that makes our lives and the halls of houses and mansions more beautiful, but also a great way to invest your money. Lorenzo de' Medici, one of the greatest patrons of the Renaissance, already knew this in the 15th century, when he had his palace filled with works by great artists and, even today, this market continues to give its fruits. In the last 10 years, the sector has doubled in value, confirming itself as one of the most frenetic, to the point that art is no longer seen only as a passion, but as a way to make the most of their savings. Until recently, in fact, investors chose to buy art driven by their personal passion (40%), while today, more than half of "patrons" (65%) choose this field because it is considered similar to their personal interests, but with an increasing focus on the return on investment. Also on the side of the final purchaser, the perception of the value of the works has increased. 89% of buyers take this into account, while 11% simply choose according to their personal taste, following the search for beauty. It is estimated that in the last 4 years the investment in works of art has increased by 45% in terms of value.
It is, in fact, a profitable sector, which has the advantage of owning objects of inestimable beauty, but which, like all others, is not without risks. In addition to having to deal with global economic fluctuations, there is the risk of falling victim to scams and buying something of dubious origin, the value of which could have been inflated out of all proportion. Only in 2018, the Carabinieri of the Cultural Heritage Protection unit seized as many as 1,232 fakes, 953 of which were copies of works by modern and contemporary artists.
"Recognizing a forgery is not easy for those who do not have a particularly trained eye, while for those in the industry, there are revealing traits that make you understand the authenticity of the work. - Commented Jean-François Cazeau, a well-known French art dealer with a historic art gallery in Paris, in the Le Marais district, and a second one in Sanremo, opened about a year ago. - To avoid these problems, it is necessary to turn to qualified and competent professionals from different sectors of the market, such as art galleries, who bring their name and reputation into play in every transaction.
"Once this issue is addressed, the art market is a great way to make money. - Cazeau continues - For example, the value of Picasso's multiples, such as engravings and linocuts, grew by 200% between 2000 and 2015. When you buy works of art, you come into possession of a physical good, the price of which, as for all others, can vary depending on the global economic context, but which, even in the event of a general contraction of the markets, always finds a stable level of growth. Historical artists such as Picasso, Giacometti, Mirò, Matisse, etc., have recorded constant growth, with an average of 10% each year. As far as contemporary works of art are concerned, the issue is a bit more complex, since it is a market in which artists still work. The growth of the artist must be carefully monitored, according to precise criteria, which, therefore, require a lot of experience and specific knowledge.

ROMA, (MERCURPRESS.IT) - The Dan John Group, a men's fashion company founded by Daniele Raccah and Giovanni della Rocca, which is part of the holding company Rinah SpA, of which Hannah Raccah is the majority shareholder, is in first place in Italy in the retail ranking of Il Sole 24 Ore "Leader of growth in Italy in 2020". A survey that is carried out every year, analysing the turnover and growth rate of thousands of companies in Italy, in order to identify and give visibility to those companies that are giving a particular boost to the economic development of our country, and that investors and professionals should keep an eye on.
Although Dan John was founded at the end of 2015, in three years he has recorded an incredibly significant growth rate, while continuing to maintain the same positive trend, which is constantly improving. With over 40 years of experience in the sector, the brand has managed to place itself in the prestigious ranking of first place in the retail sector, with about 100 total single-brand stores, in Italy and abroad. The company is now a European reality, and has managed to establish itself as a reference point for elegance and men's fashion designed in Italy. Dan John is in full against the trend compared to the retail sector in recent years, which sees 20 thousand stores closed only last year and very high unemployment rate. The strength of the group is precisely that of knowing how to swim against the current, with more than 405 people hired in the last 3 years.
The group, after having ended 2018 with about 37 million Euros of revenues and expects to end 2019 with about 63 million, thus continuing the growth of the brand that expects to reach the end of the next three years to 180 million revenues. In September of this year, the internationalization plan began, with openings in Spain, where it challenges Inditex, the clothing giant that heads brands such as Zara, Bershka and Massimo Dutti, and Belgium, which will be followed by others in France, England, Germany and other European countries in the early months of 2020, and then move on to the Middle East, the USA and South America, opening about 90 new stores by 2022, reaching a total of 185, of which 100 are directly managed by the parent company. By 2025, on the other hand, Dan John is aiming for a more widespread presence in Europe and greater expansion also in non-European countries, such as the USA and the Middle East, from which a great number of requests and expressions of interest are already arriving, while continuing to strengthen his presence in Italy as well.
"To be at the top of such a prestigious ranking is a great satisfaction for us, which repays us for the hard work we have done in recent years. - Daniele Raccah, co-founder of Dan John and Sole Director of Rinah S.p.A. commented - The first 3 years of our activity, which coincide with those examined by the 'Growth Leader' initiative, have been intense, but, of course, also those that we will remember with the greatest satisfaction. We started with very few points of sale, having on our side only our wealth of know-how and a great desire to do. In a short time we were able to make our products known, which were immediately established as the top of the industry, thanks to good quality, competitive prices, market research and service.
"All this has been fundamental to emerge as a leader, despite the fact that retail is now in crisis with 20,000 companies closed only in the last year. For us, 2019 was a fundamental challenge to launch a new great goal, national and international development plans, with many new openings, Dan John growing at a glance. - Raccah continues - Behind each new opening there are months and months of study and research, to identify the most interesting markets, which can be strategic for the brand, and find the ideal locations, always elegant and in privileged positions for city shopping. Now we look to the future, with the aim of maintaining the same enthusiasm and determination, but also an increasingly positive growth trend.

ROMA, Monday, November 18, 2019 (MERCURPRESS.IT) - "With the development of the web and e-commerce, today there is an increasing need to sell at a distance, so there is no direct relationship between seller and customer and the ability to tell the potential of the product proposed, declining on the basis of what have been perceived as the needs of the customer. This makes it essential for companies to optimize their communication, helping the sales department with marketing that is very effective, that can only reach people potentially interested, optimizing resources to the maximum. A copy, to be good and effective, must necessarily be persuasive, leading the user to make the purchase and managing to retain it, so that he returns to buy in that specific online store. The copy must play the role of the seller, who when you enter his store makes you feel welcome and guides you in your purchases. For this reason, the copywriter is a job for curious people, which requires not only a specific preparation in terms of communication and marketing, but also a lot of craftsmanship, creativity and passion. Unlike direct marketing, which was one of the most used strategies until a few decades ago, today we need more points of contact, and this is where storytelling comes in. Today's consumer is more demanding, often more informed, and can count on many tools to make a decision, and wants to know closely not only the product or service he buys, but also the company or professional who offers it. Storytelling is very important, because it serves to capture the attention of users, making sure that they themselves seek contact with the company, and not the other way around. This is what Andrea Lisi said in an interview with Startupper Magazine.

Read the full interview:
Andrea Lisi, CEO and Founder of Copy Persuasivo®

ROMA, Wednesday, November 13, 2019 (MERCURPRESS.IT) - Mr. Ahmet Budan, an established building contractor in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, as well as a long-standing partner of Todini, was appointed new managing director of Todini Costruzioni Generali S.p.A. during the meeting of the new Board of Directors. Fabio Foglia, technical director with strong international experience, and Dr. Massimiliano Aprea, expert accountant and statutory auditor.
Todini Costruzioni Generali S.p.A., a historic general construction company that has been active on the Italian and foreign markets since the 1950s, has been owned since 2016 by Prime System KZ, a Kazakh holding company that owns several companies in Kazakhstan and around the world and is active in the construction, mining and logistics sectors.
Through the introduction of new management and strategic partnerships, the property aims at a strong national and international relaunch of Todini in the coming years.
With a clear change in management within the company, which once again aims to give centrality to production and development, the property aims first of all to restart production in the Central Asian yards, and then to lead the company to new international successes.
"I would like to thank Luisa Todini on behalf of Prime System and the new board of directors, for having served as Honorary Chairman of Todini Costruzioni Generali S.p.a., making them shine thanks to the important name of their father. It will be the task of the new management to give credit to the memory of Franco Todini, restoring centrality to the production and development of new orders and successfully completing all the work already undertaken by the company, which was suffering setbacks due to the errors of the previous management. I wish our company a successful future," said Mr. Ahmet Budan at the time of his inauguration, who also wanted us to point out that the doors of the company will always be open to members of the Todini family.

ROMA, Friday, November 1, 2019 (MERCURPRESS.IT) - ELITE, in collaboration with Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted and JobsOhio, announced that Cleveland, Ohio will serve as the home of its Americas headquarters. ELITE is London Stock Exchange Group's (LSEG) international business support initiative for ambitious, private, small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Cleveland headquarters will provide mid-market companies in the Americas with access to the skills and networks to help them scale up and reach the next stage of growth.
It was also revealed at today's second annual ELITE Day that Cleveland will host Global ELITE Day 2020. This will be the first time ELITE's international conference of companies and advisors will take place outside of Europe. The event today also marked the graduation of the first cohort of ELITE U.S.A. companies, all of which are from Ohio.
Currently, there are over 1,200 businesses and 400 advisors and investors from across 43 countries and 34 sectors in the ELITE network. In aggregate, they employ over 500,000 people and generate more than $95 billion in revenues. Companies in the ELITE program historically have experienced seven times the growth and created four times more jobs than their industry peers.
"We're proud of the partnership Ohio has formed with the ELITE program and look forward to the growth opportunities this collaboration opens up for businesses," said Lt. Governor Jon Husted. "Governor DeWine and I are excited to have Cleveland be the host of the ELITE Program's first ever American headquarters, which will create Ohio jobs and further solidify our already strong relationship."
The ELITE Americas headquarters -- expected to open its doors Q1 2020 -- will support the state's ambitious mid-market companies through providing access to the skills and networks to accelerate their growth, creating new jobs and ultimately driving economic prosperity.
"Building on ELITE's collaboration with JobsOhio, we are delighted to announce that ELITE will establish its Americas headquarters in Cleveland," said Luca Peyrano, CEO of ELITE. "Cleveland is the ideal location for ELITE with its long-standing history of institutional investment, concentration of SMEs, strong educational institutions, and supportive and welcoming business community. We warmly congratulate the nine Ohio companies and the City of Athens, who are the first U.S. companies to graduate from ELITE's training program."
"As a G-20 endorsed global business, ELITE could have chosen anywhere in the United States for its Americas headquarters, and it chose Cleveland, " said J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio president and chief investment officer. "This investment decision builds on a partnership established when ELITE first entered the Americas market through Ohio in 2018, and demonstrates the positive experience it had in Cleveland, with its long standing institutional investment history, one of the largest concentration of private small and midmarket companies in the country, and a supportive and welcoming business community."
JobsOhio supports economic growth in Ohio through its innovative and agile approach. Last December, nine Ohio companies and the city of Athens, Ohio, were selected to join the first U.S. cohort of the ELITE initiative. Together, ELITE and JobsOhio selected companies from Ohio, through a year-long program, to provide their management teams with a unique network of support to help them scale up.

ROMA, Wednesday, October 16, 2019 (MERCURPRESS.IT) - NetworkPr is the new Italian network of independent PRs created by Manuela Popolizio, Isella Marzocchi, Laura Mottura and Katia Cilia, all professionals working in the field of public relations between Milan, Turin, Verona and Bologna.

The four founders operate in the communication sector, embracing several sectors - from food&wine to beauty, from lifestyle to design, from luxury to hospitality and automotive - which are aimed at a common goal: to network skills and experience, activating their resources on the basis of requests. Consequently, they reject the logic of competition in favour of sharing and exchanging ideas, tools and expertise.

NetworkPr deals with corporate and product communication, press office, events, editorial projects and sponsorship with regard to the offline area. It also draws up online communication plans, designs and manages newsletters, monitors brand reputation and produces videos and podcasts, as well as managing social profiles for companies and brands and developing web content.

It is therefore a smart-up that aims to create alliances and develop collaborative intelligence through the development of communication plans and events, but also formulation of content and creation of consensus, whether for a company or a brand, a product or an event.