Press Release Diana Bracco:“Research & Innovation: the key to Italy’s future” Research investments are the surest exit strategy from crisis: this is the strong message that emerged from the Round Table "Regions driver for innovation in Europe 2020" organized on July 14 th , 2010 by the Bracco Group in its Research Center in Colleretto Giacosa (Ivrea), in the context of the workshop “Sciences and Territories”, opened by the international symposium entitled "Diagnostics and Nanotechnology" . Colleretto Giacosa (Ivrea) - July the 14 th 2010 - "Our country must focus on research and innovation, building a system that values the regional and national level in an integrated logic connecting effectively to Europe," said Diana Bracco, Chairman and CEO of the Bracco Group, in her closing speech. "The document Europe 2020, in fact, is defining a new European development program, which puts strongly on Research. For example, investments on green economy and cleaner technology both help to combat climate change and to create sustainable jobs. As Vice President of Confindustria for Research & Innovation, Diana Bracco claimed: "The latest estimates of Confindustria tell us that the recovery finally is no longer a mirage, and that production is increasing. However, we are well aware that it will take time before returning to pre-crisis conditions, and I personally believe that the creation of new jobs will be the real turning point of the situation. The imperative then is to continue working so that we can be ready when the markets get back to racing. We have to rethink our companies, to recover efficiency and, above all, to innovate. Innovating processes, products, marketing strategies, communication and procedures: this how to trigger a self-generated growth” Speakers at the afternoon Round Table have included Amalia Sartori, Member of the Committee for Industry, Research and Energy of the European Parliament, Massimo Giordano, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, Research and Innovation of the Piedmont Region, Massimo Feira President of Finpiemonte, Catia Bastioli CEO of Novamont, Andrea Bonaccorsi, Professor of the Faculty of Engineering at University of Pisa and Lorenzo Silengo, Professor at University of Turin. Many scientists and experts from Italy, Belgium and Holland, attended the morning international scientific symposium on diagnostics. Fulvio Uggeri and François Tranquart jointly chaired the symposium, where Fulvio Renoldi Bracco, Head of Business Unit Global Imaging of Bracco Imaging SpA, discussed the future of this growing scientific sector with his speech on “Bracco Imaging: Beyond Contrast Media”. More than one hundred and fifty participants appreciated the scientific value of the lectures and the quality of speaker’s presentations. With its 120 highly qualified researchers, the Bracco Research Center in Ivrea is the main Italian facility within the Group’s R&D international network including other Centers in Switzerland (Geneve), USA (Princeton) and China (Benjiin). Dedicated to diagnostic preclinical research, the Center was inaugurated in 2007 and it is constantly improved with investments in cutting edge technological laboratories and equipments. For more information Communication & Image Tel. 02.21772469- fax 02.21772770 E-mail: [email protected] .