📍 Washington, D.C. - 49th NIAF Gala, October 26th
Carlo Messina has received the Leonardo da Vinci Award for Business at the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Gala in Washington, an event celebrating the ties between Italy and the United States.
Why it matters: The Leonardo da Vinci Award for Business honors individuals who have achieved significant accomplishments in their specific fields of expertise.
Carlo Messina, in his acceptance speech at the NIAF gala, reflected on the values of generosity and vision shared by Italians worldwide, emphasizing Intesa Sanpaolo’s commitment as a global leader in social impact.
CEO Messina dedicated the award to Intesa Sanpaolo's 100,000 employees.
“I believe the Lenardo da Vinci Award is a tribute to the growth of Intesa Sanpaolo, to which I have dedicated much of my life.”
Carlo Messina, CEO of Intesa Sanpaolo
Intesa Sanpaolo has a long-standing presence in the United States, where it opened its first office in New York over a century ago.
Did you know? The Bank played a key role in managing the Marshall Plan funds supporting Italy's post-war economic reconstruction.
About NIAF: The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) represents over 20 million Italian-Americans in the United States. Founded in 1975 and based in Washington, D.C., it is dedicated to preserving Italian cultural heritage and fostering strong ties with Italy, working with Congress and the White House on issues relevant to the community.
Every October, NIAF hosts a prestigious gala in Washington, D.C., bringing together over 1,200 guests, including leaders in politics, business, and culture. The event honors prominent Italian and Italian-American figures.
Read Carlo Messina’s acceptance speech
Good evening.
Let me start by thanking President Allegrini and all the National Italian-American Foundation leadership, honored guests, ladies and gentlemen.
The National Italian-American Foundation gives voice to millions of Americans of Italian origin, who have contributed to making the United States a great country.
The Foundation also keeps the bonds between Italy and America strong.
It reminds us that we have a unique relationship that benefits our countries as well as Europe and the world more broadly.
Tonight is a celebration of these bonds of friendship.
As we look ahead to celebrating the USA’s 250th anniversary, it is important to remember that the relationship between Italy and America is based on shared values, cultural connections as well as a long-standing economic partnership.
Intesa Sanpaolo is a leading actor of this partnership. The ties between our Group and the United States are over 100 years old, when we opened our first American office in New York.
It began with the success of Italian immigrant communities such as Little Italy in New York, attracting Italian banks to America.
Since then, Intesa Sanpaolo has played a key role in deepening bilateral relations. Did you know that our group managed the Marshall Plan funds for Italy after World War Two?
Today, our New York branch is a bridge for promoting trade and investment between US and Italy, supporting the real economy on both sides of the Atlantic.
In recent weeks, I’ve reflected on what unites Italians across the world.
There’s a unique spirit that defines our actions — a generosity rooted in vision, always with a deep sense of humanity, and the ability to create lasting relationships.
These values shape how we engage with our stakeholders and the communities we serve. In fact, this is why Intesa Sanpaolo is the number one Social Impact Bank in the world.
And these values enable Intesa Sanpaolo to play a key role in the economic, civic, and social life of our “shared” country.
So, with gratitude and pride I accept the Leonardo da Vinci Award in Business.
Most of all I accept the Award in the name of all 100,000 People of Intesa Sanpaolo.
I believe this award is a tribute to the growth of Intesa Sanpaolo, to which I have dedicated much of my life.
Today, we are the most valuable bank in Europe. The majority of our investors are US-based, with Blackrock as our number one shareholder. We manage €1.4 trillion euros of financial assets. We have 20 million customers in Italy and abroad.
Let me close my remarks with a brief quote from Raffaele Mattioli, an Italian banker who led Banca Commerciale Italiana, which later became part of Intesa Sanpaolo.
Mattioli once said, “Not only out of generosity, but out of foresight, we have always placed the interests of the nation’s economy above those of the immediate and transient interests of the company.”
These words reflect our work at Intesa Sanpaolo today.
Indeed, the da Vinci Award is a recognition of our support for the values of Italian excellence in business.
In closing, I want to thank the National Italian-American Foundation again for this great honor. We at Intesa Sanpaolo are very proud.
Grazie mille, vi auguro una bellissima serata e spero di essere presto con voi in una prossima occasione.
Share this post