Conflombardia’s Association Ambassador in Spain discusses the first meeting held in Arona with the Vice Consul of Italy, Massimiliano Gori, and explains the role the organisation intends to develop in the Canary Islands.

Conflombardia is continuing to develop its international network through an initial institutional meeting at the Vice Consulate of Italy in Arona, Tenerife, which has jurisdiction over the Canary Islands.

Since 1 July 2026, the office has been headed by Vice Consul Massimiliano Gori, an official of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation with extensive experience within Italy’s consular network.

The Vice Consulate in Arona has jurisdiction over the entire Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands.

The meeting did not result in any agreement or protocol, and it is not being presented as such. It was a first opportunity for mutual introduction, dialogue and institutional acquaintance.

We therefore asked Conflombardia’s Association Ambassador in Spain to explain why this meeting matters and what work should now follow.

What was your main objective when you met the Vice Consul?

The first objective was to introduce Conflombardia and explain the role I have been entrusted with in Spain.

I did not attend the meeting with a ready-made project to propose. I preferred to present the organisation’s willingness to engage, my own experience as an Italian entrepreneur living and working in Fuerteventura and, above all, our willingness to listen.

I believe that before designing any initiative, it is essential to understand the people involved, understand the territory and identify where we can genuinely be useful.

What significance do you attach to your meeting with Vice Consul Massimiliano Gori?

I see it as a first moment of institutional acquaintance.

No agreement was signed, and it would be wrong to describe the meeting as the beginning of a formally established collaboration.

Its value lies in the opportunity to introduce Conflombardia, explain our approach and begin a dialogue with an important institutional point of reference for the Italian community in the Canary Islands.

The next step is to ensure that this initial contact is followed by useful content and concrete initiatives.

You live and run your business in Fuerteventura. What does this experience add to your role within Conflombardia?

Living and working here gives me a perspective that goes beyond that of an Italian entrepreneur simply residing in the Canary Islands.

By taking part in local organisations and attending meetings with entrepreneurs and institutions in the area, I also have the opportunity to understand the Canarian point of view, not only that of the Italian community.

I believe this is an important part of my role: helping to connect two worlds that share the same territory but do not always have enough opportunities to truly understand one another.

On one side, there are Italian entrepreneurs who want to understand the Canary Islands better. On the other, there are Canarian entrepreneurs who may be interested in learning more about the Italian business system.

Conflombardia can stand between these two worlds, not as a commercial intermediary, but as a point of connection and relationship-building.

It is precisely from this direct experience on the ground that a broader project could eventually emerge, one in which the Vice Consulate of Italy in Arona, Tenerife, could also be involved, naturally with each party acting within its own role and responsibilities.

What, then, is the practical role of a Conflombardia Ambassador?

I do not believe that an Ambassador should present himself as someone who has all the answers.

The role should primarily be that of a connector.

Listening to the company, understanding the issue it is facing, gathering the initial information and then identifying the person or organisation with the appropriate expertise.

If the issue is consular, there are competent institutions. If it concerns tax, legal, administrative or professional matters, qualified specialists must be involved.

The value of an Ambassador also lies in knowing when to stop and whom to refer the company to.

“The value of an Ambassador also lies in knowing when to stop.”

What should a Conflombardia Ambassador not do?

An Ambassador should not replace institutions, should not make promises that cannot be kept and should not turn into a salesperson for services.

Above all, an Ambassador should not carry out professional activities that require specific qualifications or licences unless he or she possesses them.

The role is to recognise a need and build the right connection.

I believe that this, too, is part of representing an organisation seriously and responsibly.

You often speak about building a bridge between Italy and the Canary Islands. What should that mean in practical terms?

For me, building a bridge between Italy and the Canary Islands means, first and foremost, building relationships.

It is not only about helping Italian entrepreneurs understand the territory better. It is also about enabling Canarian businesses and organisations to become more familiar with the Italian business system.

Through the local organisations I am involved with and the meetings I attend with institutions and entrepreneurs, I am trying to build precisely this type of relationship: bringing together people with different expertise, experiences and interests, and identifying where genuine points of connection may exist.

I also believe that the Vice Consulate of Italy in Arona, Tenerife, could have an important role within this broader vision, while naturally maintaining the distinction between each organisation’s responsibilities.

The idea I would like to develop over time is therefore a comprehensive project involving Italian businesses, Canarian businesses, associations, professionals and institutions, creating opportunities for dialogue and, where the conditions exist, concrete cooperation.

I do not want to start by claiming that this project already exists. First, we need to build the necessary relationships and determine whether the conditions are genuinely there to develop it.

But I believe this is exactly where the value of Conflombardia’s presence in the territory can lie.

So Conflombardia does not intend to promote the Canary Islands indiscriminately as a market for Italian SMEs?

Absolutely not.

Every company is different, and there is no single market that is suitable for everyone.

Before speaking about opportunities, it is necessary to understand the company’s project, its product or service, the target market, the regulations, the costs involved and the relevant stakeholders.

Talking about opportunities without first assessing these elements would not be serious.

Our role should be to help companies ask the right questions before investing time and resources.

What needs to happen now for this first meeting to lead to something concrete?

The first stage of the work must take place on the ground.

We need to begin collecting the needs of Italian entrepreneurs in a more structured way, identify the issues that occur most frequently and distinguish between those that can be addressed through information and guidance and those that require qualified professionals or institutional counterparts.

After that, Conflombardia can assess whether it is appropriate to organise in-depth sessions, information meetings or other targeted initiatives.

I do not believe it is useful to announce a programme of activities before we actually understand what the needs are.

If you had to summarise the approach in one sentence, what would it be?

“Start by listening, understand where we can be useful, and build the necessary relationships without promising something that does not yet exist.”

Conflombardia

The meeting in Arona therefore represents a first step in building Conflombardia’s presence in the Canary Islands. It is not an agreement that has already been reached, nor the presentation of an already defined project, but the beginning of a process based on knowledge, listening and relationship-building.

The experience of an Italian entrepreneur who lives and works in the Canary Islands, combined with direct participation in local organisations and meetings with entrepreneurs and institutions, can become a practical tool for encouraging greater mutual understanding between the Italian and Canarian business communities.

Within this process, there may also be a role for the Vice Consulate of Italy in Arona, Tenerife, with full respect for the responsibilities and competencies of all parties involved. The objective is not to create overlap, but to encourage a broader dialogue among those who live, work and invest in the territory.

The value of this project will therefore not be measured by the number of meetings held, but by what can genuinely be built over time: knowledge, trust and opportunities for cooperation.

That is where the process should begin: first listen and understand, then bring together the right people and, only afterwards, turn ideas into concrete projects.

Conflombardia – The Community Business Association