A Trade Mission to Cyprus organised by the Italian-Cypriot Chamber of Commerce was held from 24th to 26th October 2022 with the main focus on the healthcare sector and innovation.
On the occasion of the Trade Mission, it was held a Business Conference in Nicosia on the occasion of the 3rd Cypriot-Italian Health Industry Forum, for the first time in person after the pandemic, in the
The conference, organised in collaboration with the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Cyprus-Italian Business Association and the Enterprise Europe Network Cyprus, under the auspices of the Italian Embassy in Nicosia, was also attended by the Representative of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus as well as the ones of the Heath Insurance Organisation (HIO) and the State Health Services Organisation (SHSO), together with the stakeholders on the sector from Italy and Cyprus.
The conference, moderated by Vice-President Costas Katsaros, was opened by the President of the Italian-Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, Giuseppe Marino, who underlined the importance and strategic nature of the sector covered by the conference in the development of trade relations and cooperation between the two countries, and continued with the institutional greetings of Christos Petsides, Director of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the institutional greetings of the Ambassador of Italy to Cyprus, H.E. Federica Ferrari Bravo who, after welcoming the Italian delegation, underlined the importance of involving companies from the two countries to tackle together the issues following Covid-19, which need to be discussed both at a political and economic level.
Of particular value and interest was the Address Speech by Mr Nikos Panagides, speaking on behalf of Dr Christina Yannaki, General Director of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus, who highlighted that what emerged from Covid19 pandemic was the need to rapidly develop and upgrade the HealthCare Systems with Innovative and Sustainable technology, and how this high-level meeting could offer an excellent forum to create a sustainable healthcare improvement. Furthermore, the Address Speech of Marios Panayides, Chairman of SHSO (State Health Services Organisation, also known in Greek as OkYPY), underlined the importance of bilateral research in the field of healthcare to enhance innovation and the necessity to strengthen cooperation with the Universities of both countries.
Particularly noteworthy was the panel of speakers, which included representatives of important Cypriot and Italian institutions and companies, such as Panagiotis Petrou, Officer of the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO), Filippo Quattrone, Senior Consultant of Afea-Zucchetti, George Papaioannou, Sales Manager of Cyprus Pharmaceutical Organisation Limited Costas Papaellinas, Giuseppe Ipocovana, Sales Area Manager of Fujifilm Italia Medical Business Division, Iacovos Ghalanos, Board Member of KPMG Cyprus, Georgios D. Theodorakopoulos, Clinical Specialist Medical Solutions Division of 3M, Chryssie Jacovides, Legal Advisor & Special Projects Executive of MSJ Group and Claudia Rinaldi, Business Development Manager of Petrone Group.
The forum’s discussion strongly highlighted how Cyprus can be an important hub in the East-Med and during the conclusions, entrusted to Federico Franchina, Vice President of the Cyprus-Italian Chamber of Commerce, who after having thanked the authoritative speakers and the numerous guests present, emphasised the central role of the Chamber in the consolidation and further development of the collaboration between Italian and Cypriot companies, as well as the important collaboration with the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Cyprus-Italian Business Association and other institutions in order to support companies and business to contribute to build-up a modern healthcare system, promoting Cyprus as a hub in the Mediterranean, and keep strengthening partnerships between the two countries in the complex and articulated environment of healthcare, as the pandemic has shown how new challenges can be faced more efficiently with collaboration.
The Business Conference, which was held from 10:30 to 12:30 on 25th October, was attended by 40 participants, of which the Italian delegation of 13 companies, the Staff and Delegates of the Italian-Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, and 10 Cypriot companies, representing the pharmaceutical sector, innovation, research, production of medical devices, and IT and software for healthcare for digital innovation of the sector, together with consultants, lawyers, and companies from other sectors, including construction.
Then, the conference was followed by a Light Lunch in the same venue and a large number of B2Bs between the Italian and Cypriot companies, totaling 25 meetings among the interested stakeholders in order to explore new business opportunities.
Finally, the following day, on 26th October, a country presentation on Cyprus was held for the Italian delegation at the office of the Chamber in Nicosia.
For further insights on this article and more information on the activities of the Italian-Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, please write to: segreteria@camcomitacipro.it
Last modified: November 14, 2022