New agreements with Sace, Simest and ICE in the UAE in favour of Italian SMEs
24 April 2025
Opening new international trade corridors: this was the objective of Intesa Sanpaolo's mission involving 15 Italian SMEs from the Food-Agritech and Home System segments, with a strong vocation for foreign trade and international development.
In support of international development, Intesa Sanpaolo promotes the distinctive value of Italian products by offering systemic solutions to enhance competitiveness in foreign markets, not only in terms of exports but also through collaborations and commercial partnerships.
"The synergic work with economic diplomacy, with Simest, Sace and ICE allows us to combine the best skills at the service of the international success of our SMEs, ambassadors of ‘Made in Italy’ worldwide. It is a strategy that our Group has been pursuing for some time and intends to consolidate in this phase of international complexity, accompanying companies in the diversification of their foreign markets and in the search for new opportunities. We seek to be a global partner of our 45,000 corporate customers, to whom we have provided € 10 billion for exports and investments abroad”
Stefano Barrese, Head of Intesa Sanpaolo's Banca dei Territori
In Dubai, Intesa Sanpaolo presented the contents of the agreements signed with Simest, Sace and ICE in favour of the international strengthening of Italian companies, thanks to dedicated financial instruments, participatory loans, international guarantees, involvement of local institutions, and events in Italy and abroad. The agreements in more detail:
SIMEST, the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Group's company for the globalisation of Italian companies, and Intesa Sanpaolo have signed a twofold cooperation agreement aimed at supporting the investments of Italian companies wishing to grow in international markets. The first agreement will enable companies, especially SMEs, that turn to Intesa Sanpaolo to finance their investment projects, to have access to a share of a soft loan provided by SIMEST, with the possibility of a non-repayable share, to support expenses related to digital and ecological transition processes and to reinforce their capital strength. In addition, thanks to the second agreement, regarding direct investments, companies will be able to rely on the joint participation of SIMEST in the share capital of the foreign company and that of the Bank to complete the investment plan, with the additional possibility of having access to an interest-rate subsidy on bank financing for investments in the non-EU area.
Intesa Sanpaolo has joined the new initiatives of SACE, the Ministry of Economy and Finance's Company for the support of businesses in Italy and around the world, aimed at facilitating access to credit for companies working in international markets. The first concerns the Sace Growth guarantee, to secure the investment and working capital needs of companies in Italy and abroad, including acquisitions. The second concerns the Master Risk Participation Agreement, for the issuance of contractually agreed guarantees in addition to bonds, with the possibility of additional financial resources to acquire new orders and with a focus on both domestic and international markets.
Intesa Sanpaolo and ICE, the Agency for the promotion abroad and globalisation of Italian companies, have signed a new agreement that provides for joint activities in favour of SMEs, from training to consultancy, from products and services instrumental to foreign growth to participation in international events and missions to support foreign development and attract foreign investors. With ICE, synergy will be fostered with foreign institutions to promote the internationalisation process of the Bank's corporate customers and the identification of solutions that can be used both online and with the support of ICE offices abroad.
The mission to Dubai also provided an opportunity filled with meetings to present Italian excellence to UAE operators and offer selected SMEs the opportunity to build relationships in a dynamic and constantly evolving ecosystem.
The United Arab Emirates are confirmed as a strategic partner for Italy, with strong trade ties and growth potential, as highlighted by the in-depth study "Doing Business with the United Arab Emirates” by the Intesa Sanpaolo Research Department.
Intesa Sanpaolo supports around 45,000 SMEs in international foreign trade activities, of which around 8,000 are already working with the UAE.
Intesa Sanpaolo's international strategy for SME growth
The Intesa Sanpaolo Group's international presence is spread over some 40 countries through subsidiary banks, corporate hubs, representative offices, branches and cooperation agreements with foreign correspondent banks, plus a network of Italian and foreign partners providing assistance in more than 160 countries, in addition to the Italian network of 300 specialists working alongside companies.
Intesa Sanpaolo’s Banca dei Territori Division promotes the globalisation of SMEs through collaboration with Simest, Sace and Ice and in synergy with the foreign network of the IMI Corporate & Investment Banking Division, which operates in the Emirates with branches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The main needs that Intesa Sanpaolo's solutions address include:
- trade finance
- direct investment processes in international markets
- risk hedging
Through dedicated webinars and thanks to its international network, Intesa Sanpaolo carries out continuous information activities on international market trends and opportunities.
In addition, Intesa Sanpaolo's Business Strategy service offers advisory services for accessing international markets and for commercial and/or industrial development projects, with more than 100 selected partners advising on individual international geographies and focusing on legal, corporate and labour law aspects.
