Francesco Macrì: «Bisogna investire nella difesa comune europea»

Francesco Macrì, president of Leonardo, argued that defense must be a European project during his speech at the City Talks of Spin Factor in Naples. Investing in defense is crucial, he stated, as Italy faces over 500 cyber attacks annually, while the world experiences 5,000. However, he emphasized that it is necessary to work towards a common defense.

Leonardo alone cannot accomplish this goal, he added. The European countries possess numerous defense platforms and systems that are excessive compared to other nations or continents, leading to a lack of economies of scale. Macrì suggested creating economies of scale and has already started cooperating with Rheinmetall on land-based projects, Thales and Airbus in the space sector, and other partners like the UK and Japan in the sixth-generation fighter jet program.

He believes that today, the boundaries between the military and civilian sectors, as well as the digital and physical realms, are increasingly blurred. Italy must strive for strategic and technological autonomy alongside Europe. Macrì spoke of an "industrial renaissance" leveraging innovation to grow in sectors like security, space, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

The space economy will generate $1.8 trillion by 2035, he said. He also discussed artificial intelligence, comparing its revolution to that of the combustion engine, electric energy, and the internet. Macrì asserted that we must embrace artificial intelligence, lest we become technological serfs. Leonardo, after the decline of the automotive industry, now represents Italy's leading manufacturing entity, enjoying a "distressed district" economy.

Italy has an enormous competitive advantage compared to the world, Macrì added, as the country boasts unparalleled manufacturing expertise. In Italy, Leonardo is present in 15 regions and employs 4,500 suppliers, 84% of whom are PMIs. During the City Talks, Macrì was joined by Vinicio Vigilante (Gse), Gaetano Manfredi (Naples' mayor), Piero De Luca (PD), Marco Mezzaroma (Health and Sport), and Antonio Savarese (Acen).

On the first day, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, the Minister of Environment and Energy Security, addressed the gathering. He announced the implementation of the nuclear law delegation and the upcoming definition of implementation decrees for permitting procedures. He also announced a new decree on invoices after a political agreement with the EU commission.