Dear Consul General Cristiano Maggipinto,

thanks for accepting to be interviewed by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce of Texas.

It was due of course since you are the highest Italian authority here in Houston.

You officially started your position in Houston as Consul General in January 30, 2006; in this two year period you certainly have developed a deep knowledge of Texas and its economic and social dynamics. From a social point of view, what idea have you now about the Italian Community in Texas?

The Italian community in Texas is one of the most dynamic, not only in the US. Italians occupy high level positions in every sector of Houston and Texas society.  They are present in real estate and in oil and gas; they are doctors, scientists, researchers in the Texas Medical Center and in other health institutions around the State. They are researchers in aerospace, in information technology, and in nanotechnology.

We understand that you are pushing a lot on a series of cultural events. Are you happy by the participation in these activities?

Promotion of Italian language and culture is essential to create better knowledge and understanding of our country. In turn cultural promotion is deeply connected with economic promotion: trade,  investments and technology. When you watch Italian movies, when you see Italian works of art it becomes natural to get curious about Italian goods and products, strictly associated with the Italian way of life and its values of well being and beauty, which are increasingly appreciated in this country.

As Italian Chamber of Commerce, we are personally interested for your background in international trade and Italy-Usa relations in particular, and we want to ask you some questions about the Italy-Texas economical relationships.

In an article*, some time ago, you mentioned “Texas, as a Made in Italy new frontier” and you said that the Italian presence in Texas, was below its potentialities, above all in the investments area. What is your opinion now? You think that the situation is changing and how?

Italian products and investments are certainly still underrepresented in Texas and in the South West of the US. Italian companies tend to believe that the United States is made only of the East Coast and the West Coast and may be Chicago in the middle, since there is an important Italian community there. Therefore, they often overlook the rest of the country, but it is the rest of the US – and the South West in particular – which is developing at a rate higher than the national average, becoming furthermore a leader in several technological sectors. It  is a growing market which can offer significant opportunities for Italian companies, taking also into account the fact that it is a privileged gate to Latin America (another growing market).

Looking at the future, in which sectors do you see the best opportunities for the Italian firms?

Of course in this moment the best sector is energy, considering the dynamism that the raising price of oil has created. It is not by chance that two Italian companies – Valvitalia and Socotherm - which provide services to the oil and gas sector have recently opened plants in Houston. At the same time ENI has some months ago acquired the oil and gas offshore activities of the Dominion in one of the most important investments made in the US by an Italian company in the last years. Of course the weakness of the American currency compared to Euro can favor Italian investments in this country.

Another sector that can offer great opportunities for Italian companies, considering the average level of wealth of Texans,  is the traditional Made in Italy: food, wine and fashion. Of course we should fight the phenomenon of the so called “Italian sounding”, which is the sale of food and wine products which sound Italian but are produced elsewhere. In this sense what I was saying before on the connection between culture and trade is important because if you know better Italian culture you will ask for real Italian products.

During the Italian Researchers Conference on Saturday November, 10, here in Houston, you underlined and remembered the Italian contribution in the last NASA mission concluded few days ago. The fact that the “Harmony” module, a connecting module that provide attachment points for European and Japanese laboratory modules of the International Space Station, has been completely built in Italy, can somehow improve the perception of our country as High-quality High Tech manufacturer and as a consequence facilitate Italian investments in Texas in this field?

For sure the fact that the “Harmony” has been built by an Italian company (Alenia) and that in the shuttle mission which has taken this module to the International Space Station there was an Italian astronaut will contribute greatly to give the perception of the level that Italy has acquired in high-tech. This perception in any case is quite spread in Texas, especially in the oil and gas business: many high-tech products for off shore exploration are bought from Italian  companies. Look also at the sales of Ferrari and Maserati, example of our capability to marry technology with design.

In conclusion, how do you consider the role of the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce of Texas and how do you judge the relationship between our Chamber and Italian operators?

We are pleased for the activities the Chamber has accomplished so far as with the level of coordination with the Consulate and the Italian Trade Commission as well as with the other Italian economical realities in Texas.

The Chamber can play in this framework a further role in the promotion both of traditional Made in Italy and of the several medium and small size high-tech companies which characterize Italian economy. This means also to strengthen the Chamber capability to reach out to Italian and American operators. It is also very important to nurture the contacts with Italian Regions and local administrations, since they have increasing funds available for trade and economic promotion.

*= “Texas, nuova frontiera per il Made in Italy” èItalia USA n. 2