03/08/2026
Some evenings are about far more than the event itself.
It was an honour to attend the Blue Gala Dinner in support of Blue Light New Zealand and to have the privilege of being seated at the table with Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, and Chris Penk, New Zealand’s Minister of Defence.
The evening celebrated the outstanding work of Blue Light New Zealand, an organisation that has made a lasting contribution to communities across the country by supporting young people through mentoring, engagement and positive opportunities. It was inspiring to see leaders from government, defence, business and the community come together behind such an important cause.
Sharing the table with such distinguished leaders also created the opportunity for valuable conversations. I spoke with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon about the strong potential for deeper connections between Italy and New Zealand, particularly the opportunities for Italian companies to bring their expertise, innovation and investment into the New Zealand market.
As President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Australia, I see enormous potential in strengthening the commercial relationship between Italy, Australia and New Zealand. Creating bridges between our business communities and identifying opportunities for collaboration across infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, technology, design and sustainable development remains an important focus.
I also appreciated the opportunity to connect with David Seymour, Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, and other distinguished guests throughout an evening that highlighted the importance of strong relationships between government, business and communities.
A sincere thank you to Unite Recruit for their support of this outstanding event and for bringing together such an exceptional group of leaders. It was a pleasure to be part of an evening where meaningful conversations and connections were created.
It was also wonderful to see Webuild, one of our valued Chamber sponsors, represented on the night. The continued engagement of leading Italian companies across our region reflects the strength and ambition of our international business community.
Congratulations to everyone involved in delivering the Blue Gala Dinner and supporting the important work of Blue Light New Zealand.
The strongest partnerships often begin with a conversation.
I look forward to continuing to build bridges between Italy, Australia and New Zealand and creating opportunities for businesses and communities across our regions.