2026-03-11 | 5:00 am - 6:30 pm

Palais des Festivals, Leaders' Perspective Stage – Palais 5

ITALIAN CONFERENCE –  Italy 2026: Cities as Platforms for Investment and Innovation

The Italian real estate market enters 2026 with signs of consolidation in the recovery and a return of institutional interest. In 2025, investments in commercial real estate reached €13.5 billion (+36% compared to 2024), surpassing the previous record set in 2019. This growth is supported by better access to credit, macroeconomic stabilization, and the return of core and international capital.

The macroeconomic outlook for the 2025–2026 period outlines a scenario of stabilization, characterised by moderate growth and gradually declining inflation.

Among the sector drivers, hospitality registered €2.26 billion in investments (+7%), logistics €2.13 billion (+30%), and retail €4 billion (+49%), with positive sentiment among operators and forecasts for new investments in 2026.

The conference will present a country system rich in opportunities, with economic-financial solutions to be redefined to consider the public value and impacts of private-led operations. This will include an analysis of the evolution of cities and territories as platforms, where investments, infrastructure, services, and real estate contribute to generating long-term value within an integrated ecosystem.

The conference will start at 17.00 with opening remarks by ITA and a first session dedicated to an overview of the Italian market, followed by three round tables.

 

Public Value, Strategic Governance

With Assoimmobiliare, EY Parthenon and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, bringing together institutional leadership and market expertise to explore policy steering, investment frameworks and governance models shaping competitive and investable urban markets;
Moderator: Paola Pierotti, journalist, PPAN

with the participation of

  • Davide Albertini Petroni

    President

    Assoimmobiliare

  • Marco Daviddi

    Managing Partner

    EY Parthenon Italy and EY Global Real Estate Leader

  • Massimiliano Pulice

    Head of Urban Regeneration

    CDP (Cassa Depositi e Prestiti)

Upgrading Italy

With the Founder of Urban Purpose and Co-Chair of the ULI Europe Urban Regeneration Council, the Senior Managing Director of Hines Italy and the Development Director of Near SGR; bringing together development leadership and investment expertise to address regeneration strategies;
Moderator: Paola Pierotti, journalist, PPAN

with the participation of

  • Alberto Bounous

    Vice president development

    KAFD (King Abdullah Financial District)

  • Carlo Castelli

    Founder Urban Purpose

    Co-chair of the ULI Europe Urban Regeneration Council and the LSE Global Real Estate Group’s Executive Committee

  • Raoul Ravara

    Senior Managing Director

    Hines Italy

  • Simone Santi

    Development director

    Near sgr

Competitive Cities

With the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Generali Real Estate and Chairman of CityLife, the Head of Infrastructure Investments of European Investment Fund and the Mayor of Genoa, exploring metropolitan leadership, patient capital and governance frameworks shaping resilient and sustainable urban ecosystems;
Moderator: Paola Pierotti, journalist, PPAN

with the participation of

  • Aldo Mazzocco

    Chief executive officer & general manager Generali Real Estate

    Chairman Citylife

  • Gabriele Todesca

    Head of Infrastructure Investments

    European Investment Fund

  • Silvia Salis

    Mayor of Genoa

6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Italian Networking Cocktail by ITA - Italian Trade Agency

Verrière Californie (Palais 5)