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Annual Partners' Meeting

Peter Bodin: Italy is crucial in the European landscape

Digital transformation and R&D are key for SME’s growth

More than 50 thousands people, a turnover of 5 billion dollars and a widespread presence in 140 countries through its member firms: for about 40 years, Grant Thornton has been working to support the growth of businesses, particularly focusing on medium enterprises.

In January 2018, Peter Bodin was appointed as new global CEO of Grant Thornton International Ltd and visited Italy for the first time on the occasion of Bernoni Grant Thornton Annual Partners’ Meeting, which took place from 14 to 16 June in Milan.

During the meeting, Peter Bodin explained the firm intention of the Grant Thornton network to invest in some crucial European countries, such as Italy, Spain and Germany, where there are important growth opportunities at country level.

“Italy is a point of reference in the European and in the global landscape. In this country, there are important energies and potentialities that need to be enhanced and incentivized. Grant Thornton puts a high value on medium enterprises, which are the essence of the Italian economy. Sometimes, resources to invest in innovation and technology run short. But small and medium enterprises that manage to make such investment are then able to grow fast and achieve a wider market and become international”, explained Peter Bodin.

As concerns the global situation, also with reference to events related to duties and pricing policies occurred over the last months, Bodin stated: “We firmly believe in the free market. Only a real and free competition will allow businesses, as well as the global economy, to grow.

From the data of our observatory, we can see that global optimism has reached record levels in quarter 1, 2018, and that there are important opportunities to invest in technology and innovation. Businesses are oriented towards growth and this process is already ongoing, also thanks to a market that is free from impositions and hindrances.

All this represents a common heritage, which benefits global growth also in an economic context that is not fully positive”, stated Peter Bodin.

“It was an honour to have our new Global CEO with us for our Annual Meeting. His presence proves that the Grant Thornton network is close to Italy and that will support us in continuing our growth process”, stated Alessandro Dragonetti, Co-Managing Partner of Bernoni Grant Thornton.

 

Pictures of partners at Bernoni Grant Thornton Annual Partners' Meeting

Peter Bodin speaks to Bernoni Grant Thornton partners at the Annual Partners' MeetingPictures of Bernoni Grant Thornton partners and Peter Bodin at the Annual Partners' Meeting