What is the current situation of your company in terms of results and strategies?
Borsato “The situation of the Biennale is very good. Since Covid we have achieved significant values in the indicators regarding the public, the press present at the events, the international importance and the presence in the media all over the world, the participation of foreign countries in the exhibitions and also the success that the films presented at the Film Festival have in theaters and at the Oscars. At the same time, the balance sheets have also become solid and, after 2020, they present profits every year. The profits are not distributed, as in a normal SpA, but go to form a reserve that allows us to look to the future with optimism”.
Carniello “Just a few weeks ago, President Ermeti and the CEO of the Peraboni Group presented the results of the first quarter, with almost 90 million in revenues, up 15.4% compared to 2023, which had been a record year. Instead, we presented the strategic plan to the market in January, with a business plan that looks to 2028 with group revenues exceeding 300 million euros. It is an excellent moment for the company.”
Others “The tourism market is clearly recovering compared to the 2020-2022 period: already in 2023 Ca’ Sagredo achieved revenue levels similar to those in the years before the pandemic. 2024 is proving to be a particularly favorable year for high-end hotels in Venice, thanks above all to the city’s numerous events, such as the Art Biennale. At Ca’ Sagredo we are following the classic strategy of our market, that is, we are focusing on the individual customer.”
What are you investing more in to compete and grow? And what are the main challenges and prospects?
Borsato «The strategic elements are represented above all by the quality of the cultural proposal that comes from the artistic directors, and the recognition of this through a better international “reputation” of the institution. To keep the level high, constant attention to the public is also needed, especially if new and young, continuous improvement and adaptation of the venues and technologies, innovation and a policy towards the territory».
Carniello “Human capital remains our most strategic asset for creating trade fairs and conferences. We build opportunities for communities in key sectors for Made in Italy, from jewelry to green technology, from food to tourism, and we do so by always innovating, integrating physical experience with digital experience, guiding the future development of sectors and supply chains.”
Others “The challenges concern the lack of personnel, both qualified and to be trained, the high cost of raw materials and energy. The prospects are those of a slow but constant increase in turnover and GOP”.
What is the role of managers and management in growing and competing your company today?
Borsato «The management is daily engaged in the search for the best solutions to problems, in the concrete transformation of artistic projects into feasible and sustainable activities, in the planning of future activities and growth, all this in compliance with procedures and budget constraints».
Carniello “Ieg management has a role of additional responsibility since the shareholder is also public (the Municipalities) and the fairs are a key tool for the export policies of our country. For Ieg managers “working with a purpose” is part of the daily work, because we know the impact that our activities have on the territories and on the country”.
Others «The manager in the territory is essential to act as an interface with the owners, in case they are not present in the company every day and are not in the hotel sector».
What is the relationship that you, as a company and manager, have with the territory?
Borsato “By its vocation and by its statute, the Biennale looks to the international context. However, the relationship with the territory is very important both for the search for new audiences and for the need to find a favorable context for the realization of projects, from every point of view”.
Carniello «Precisely because of the type of ownership of the Group, with the Municipalities as the main shareholder, the relationship is continuous, very virtuous, and focuses a lot on enhancing the territories to achieve the best business results».
Others «Very strictly: Ca’ Sagredo is an identity of Venice. More generally, hotels are “common goods” of the territory, not transferable, and therefore intimately connected with it».
Looking to the future, what does your territory need to grow?
Borsato «I believe that a network approach between the subjects that operate in a given territory is important, valorizing the role of each and pursuing synergies».
Carniello «In a word, “skills”. Skills capable of building long-term visions and plans, of increasing productivity, of addressing the most urgent challenges of our society, such as the primary one of sustainable development».
Others «Certainly a greater control of tourist flows to grow not in numbers but in the quality of customers and services offered».
What relationship and contribution do you have and expect from Manageritalia to grow the economy and the country?
Borsato “A class of qualified managers who are sensitive to new challenges (think, for example, of sustainable development and the topic of artificial intelligence) is essential to make the country grow; Manageritalia can be a protagonist of this challenge by acting as a stimulus and identifying long-term strategies, looking to the future with a sense of responsibility and positivity”.
Others «Manageritalia can make an important and qualified contribution for several reasons: the great know-how of its members in the various sectors of expertise, the ability of the Association to act as a trait d’union between institutions, private and public bodies, its overall vision of the economic and social fabric of the country and the territory».
