From business representation to the development of a territorial network: the first meeting focused on understanding local stakeholders and the needs of Italian businesses, while maintaining a clear distinction between Conflombardia’s role, consular functions and professional responsibilities.

Conflombardia is taking a new step in the development of its international relations through a meeting held at the Italian Vice Consulate in Arona, Tenerife, between the Italian Vice Consul, Dr Massimiliano Gori, and Conflombardia’s Ambassador for Spain.

In this context, the term “Ambassador” refers exclusively to an internal representative role within Conflombardia and does not indicate any diplomatic or consular position.

This distinction is essential in order to define clearly the role that the organisation intends to develop: understanding the territory, listening to businesses, building relationships and, where necessary, facilitating contact with the appropriate institutions and professional expertise.

Massimiliano Gori has headed the Italian Vice Consulate in Arona since 1 July 2026. The office is part of Italy’s official diplomatic and consular network and operates within the territorial jurisdiction of the Canary Islands.

A presentation meeting, not an agreement already concluded

The first point that must be made clear is also one of the elements that gives greater credibility to the initiative.

The meeting does not represent the signing of a protocol, an agreement with the Vice Consulate or the automatic launch of a joint project.

It was an opportunity for introduction and dialogue, through which Conflombardia presented its associative presence, the local experience of its representative and its intention to develop a more structured understanding of the needs of Italian entrepreneurs who live, work or carry out business activities in the Canary Islands.

The approach is not to design a project first and then search for someone to involve.

The method is the opposite:

first understand the territory and its needs; then assess the possible responses.

The role of Conflombardia’s Ambassador

Conflombardia’s Ambassador operates as an entrepreneur in Fuerteventura and therefore has a direct perspective on local economic and business dynamics.

This experience can create value for Conflombardia only if it is transformed from individual knowledge into structured information that can be used by the wider organisation.

The role that Conflombardia intends to develop can be summarised through a clear operational process:

listen → identify the need → collect information → determine the appropriate stakeholder → facilitate the connection.

This does not mean replacing consulates, public administrations, lawyers, accountants, labour consultants or professionals specialising in internationalisation.

More precisely, it means reducing the distance between a company’s need and the institution or professional expertise capable of addressing it.

No overlap with consular functions

This distinction is fundamental from an institutional perspective.

The Italian Vice Consulate in Arona forms part of the official network of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and carries out its institutional duties within its area of jurisdiction in the Canary Islands.

Conflombardia operates on a completely different level.

As a business and representative organisation, it can contribute by listening to economic needs, facilitating relationships between operators, producing information and helping businesses identify the appropriate competent bodies.

However, Conflombardia does not perform consular functions and does not speak on behalf of the Vice Consulate.

Respecting these boundaries is precisely what makes it possible to build serious and credible institutional relationships.

Internationalisation means understanding before acting

For a small or medium-sized enterprise, operating outside its home territory does not simply mean finding a new customer.

It requires an understanding of the administrative, tax, contractual and operational framework within which the company will operate.

The Canary Islands, for example, have their own specific tax arrangements. The Impuesto General Indirecto Canario – IGIC, the Canary Islands General Indirect Tax, forms part of the Canary Islands Economic and Fiscal Regime and applies to certain transactions carried out by businesses and professionals, as well as to imports of goods into the archipelago.

This is one practical example of a broader principle:

a commercial opportunity must be properly assessed before it can be presented as a genuine business opportunity.

For this reason, Conflombardia does not intend to turn its Ambassador into a universal consultant.

The real value of this role lies in the ability to understand the territory, identify needs and activate the appropriate level of expertise.

From an individual presence to an information network

The next step will therefore be to progressively transform Conflombardia’s presence in the Canary Islands into an observation point capable of generating useful information for the entire organisation.

This means understanding which issues are most frequently raised by Italian businesses, what difficulties are encountered by operators already established in the islands, what information is missing and which situations may require the involvement of qualified professionals or competent institutions.

Not every issue must necessarily become a Conflombardia project.

Recognising that a specific matter falls within the responsibilities of a consulate, a Spanish or Canary Islands public administration, a specialised professional or another organisation is itself part of a responsible and effective guidance service.

Method before promotion

Through this meeting, Conflombardia is applying to its international activities the same principle that it is progressively developing in its relationship with SMEs:

do not start with the solution you want to offer; start with the problem you need to understand.

A territorial presence creates value when it produces:

knowledge → reliable relationships → verified information → qualified connections.

Only afterwards will it be possible to assess meetings with businesses, information sessions, sector-specific initiatives or other activities based on needs that have actually been identified.

A first step to be measured by future results

The meeting with Vice Consul Massimiliano Gori therefore represents the beginning of a dialogue, not the conclusion of a process.

The value of Conflombardia’s work in the Canary Islands will not be measured by the number of institutional meetings held or the photographs published, but by its ability to progressively transform relationships into useful information, accurately identified needs and effective connections for businesses.

Conflombardia will continue to develop this path while maintaining a clear distinction between business representation, institutional responsibilities and professional expertise.

It is precisely on this clarity that a credible network can also be built beyond Italy.

Conflombardia – The Union of the Community