ART-ER Attractiveness Research Territory

(female) – Head of Territorial Development and Attractiveness Unit. Paola Maccani, has a degree in Political Sciences (summa cum laude) from the University of Bologna, Italy, and has over 30 years of experience in the field of research studies and training in industrial economics, local development, entrepreneurship and business planning, working with Governmental Bodies, Local Authorities, private companies and development agencies. Her key qualifications are: assistance to local governments for the design of development policies and plans; socio-economic analysis of local and regional communities as well as industry clusters; general direction and management of a Business Innovation Centre; Incubator management; feasibility studies, training, tutoring and mentoring for business start-ups; setting up and management of European projects aimed at local development and entrepreneurship. She has also lectured on local development policies to decision makers, institutional representatives, development agents namely from: Russia, Uzbekistan, Slovenia, Brazil, Argentine, Sweden, Finland, France, Great Britain, Denmark, Iran, Korea, China, British Columbia-Canada. Currently she is the Head of the Territorial Development Unit and Attractiveness in ERVET S.p.A., the regional Agency of the Emilia-Romagna regional Government, and is involved in designing and coordinating activities of technical assistance such as territorial marketing, concerted planning policies, evaluation activities, international projects on local development an networking. Other relevant experiences are: Member of the Board of directors of the Association WIN – WOMEN IN NET European Association of Women Resource Centres, Brussels; Co-examiner for the thesis “Feasibility study for a business incubator aimed to strengthen the Urbino economy“, University of Bologna, Faculty of Civil Engineering – Department of architecture and spatial planning.

(male) – Territorial Development and Attractiveness Unit. Gianandrea Esposito has a 5-year Degree in Communication Sciences (University of Bologna) and a Master in “Methods and techniques for the development of Local Territorial Systems and Participatory Planning”- Symposium/University of Bologna. Expert with more than 10 years of experience (ERVET – Territorial Development Agency of Emilia-Romagna Region and Emilia- Romagna Region) in the following fields: territorial marketing, investment promotion, international relations, institutional communication, policy analysis. Main activities carried out. Territorial marketing and investment promotion strategy: context analysis, data analysis, position paper, territorial marketing plans; monitoring and analysis of national/international policies; policy advocacy; elaboration of communication plan; analysis of investment projects. Communication tools for territorial marketing and investment promotion: design, development and update of the website www.investinemiliaromagna.eu; guide for foreign investor; info-sheets on key economic sectors in the region; dossier on specific sectors and locations; elaboration of news. International relations: speaker at international conferences and meetings; elaboration and implementation of international cooperation projects (e.g.: PACMAn, ATTRACT SEE, etc.). Main activities carried out in the agro-food sector. PACMAn Project (MED Programme): mapping, analysis and benchmarking of Mediterranean agrofood sector; definition of a joint sustainable model of reference for MED agrofood sector; setting up of a pilot action on green packaging; coordination of international meetings. Territorial marketing and investment promotion: agrofood cluster analysis, design and elaboration of promotional products related to agrofood promotion, support to investment requests. Support for the participation of the Emilia-Romagna Region at EXPO 2015. Languages: Italian, English.

(female) –ERVET Territorial Development and Attractiveness Unit. Francesca Altomare, has a master degree in Territorial Marketing from the University Cattolica of Piacenza, Italy, and has over 15 years of experience in the field of local development working with Governmental Bodies, Local Authorities, and Development Agencies. Her key qualifications are: drafting and managing of projects aimed at planning and fostering local development; assistance to regional authorities for the management and monitoring of EU Structural funds; assistance to local authorities for the designing of territorial development plans; support to the design and management of international projects concerning territorial and economic development and governance. Currently, she is a project manager in the Territorial Development Attractiveness Unit in ERVET S.p.A., the regional Agency of the Emilia-Romagna regional Government, and she has particular experiences on: design and management of participated development initiatives in mountain areas; planning of monitoring systems for regional development programs; management of international project; management of information sources and databases and socio-economic analysis. Main activities carried out in the agro-food sector: lecturer at  Association Internationale d’Economie alimentaire et Agro-industrielle (AIEA) “The economic impact of public support to agriculture”; evaluation activities within the Regional Law 33/97 “Interventions for the development of quality systems in agro-food sector”; elaboration of a benchmarking analysis of the fishery sector in the province of Ferrara “Comparative study and analysis of the fishery sector” within a Community Initiative Programme.