https://amblondra.esteri.it/en/italia-e-regno-unito/diplomazia-economica/
https://amblondra.esteri.it/en/italia-e-regno-unito/diplomazia-economica/fare-affari-in-italia/
https://www.infomercatiesteri.it/paese.php?id_paesi=85
https://www.infomercatiesteri.it/presenza_italiana.php?id_paesi=85
e.g. https://uk.leonardo.com/en/home
https://www.infomercatiesteri.it/perchepaese.php?id_paesi=85
https://www.infomercatiesteri.it/dove_investire.php?id_paesi=85
https://www.infomercatiesteri.it/dove_vendere.php?id_paesi=85
https://www.italchamind.org.uk/
click at the top right for Italian
https://icciuk.org.uk/it/servizi/
https://www.italchamind.org.uk/it/servizi-aziendali/
look at this page in detail
https://www.italchamind.org.uk/business-services/
https://icciuk.org.uk/en/services/business-matching/
https://icciuk.org.uk/en/services/marketing-communication/
https://icciuk.org.uk/en/services/startup-support/
https://icciuk.org.uk/en/services/business-events/
https://icciuk.org.uk/en/services/meeting-rooms-hot-desks/
https://icciuk.org.uk/en/services/downloadable-documents/
https://icciuk.org.uk/en/the-chamber/members/
https://www.sace.it/mappe/dettaglio/regno-unito
https://www.sace.it/en/about-us
https://www.sace.it/media/comunicati-e-news/dettaglio-news/investimenti-all'estero
https://www.simest.it/en/simest-offer/soft-loans/facilitated-financing-for-internationalization/
https://www.ice.it/en/markets/united-kingdom/london
https://www.ice.it/it/mercati/regno-unito
https://www.ice.it/it/mercati/regno-unito/londra
https://www.ice.it/it/mercati/regno-unito/info-desk-innovazione-e-start-0
and an independent Italian business initiative in
London https://italiabusinesshub.co.uk/
and investment in Italy
https://www.investinitaly.gov.it/en
https://www.investinitaly.gov.it/index.php/en/why-italy/our-leadership
click on Sectors and Doing Business too
https://www.investinitaly.gov.it/index.php/en/why-italy/competitiveness-pillars
https://www.investinitaly.gov.it/en/business-location
The Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the UK (ICCIUK)
marked its milestone 140th anniversary in 2026 by championing bilateral trade,
regional investment, and entrepreneurial success between Italy and the United
Kingdom.
Key Milestones and Growth Highlights
(2025–2026)
- Bilateral
Trade Strength: UK-Italy trade relations continued
to expand, with Italian exports to the UK surpassing £29 billion and
reciprocal investments nearing €95 billion.
- Casa
Italia Openings: The opening of Casa Italia in
London—uniting the Embassy, the Italian Trade Agency, and the Italian
Cultural Institute—provided a central hub for supporting growing Italian
enterprises in the UK.
- Strategic
Regional Summits: ICCIUK structured key
cross-border dialogues, including the upcoming Annual Conference 2026 (The
Power of Regions: How Sicily and Wales Drive Investment, Innovation and
Growth) hosted at The Dorchester in London.
Notable Entrepreneurial & Business
Success Stories
- Talented
Young Italians Awards (Dec 2025): Celebrated rising
Italian innovators and leaders under 40 shaping the UK market across
diverse sectors:
- Mirco
Bulega (Finance & Services)
- Anna
Irrera (Media & Communications)
- Michele
Pascarella (Industry & Commerce)
- Francesca
Morreale (Research & Innovation)
- Marco
De Simone (Hospitality)
- Pietro
Arina (Biomedical Sciences)
- Flavia
Frigeri (Arts & Culture)
- SME
and Brand Expansions: The Chamber facilitated market
entry and UK consolidation for various Made-in-Italy brands across food,
wine, beauty, and tech—highlighted through platforms like the Moving to
Italy seminar series and regular B2B networking forums.
The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) London Office
has reported strong commercial impacts and widespread engagement throughout its
2025–2026 operations, driving the growth of Italian small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) in the UK and Irish markets.
According to their 2026 mid-year operational data, the
London office successfully delivered 35 high-impact events and initiatives,
actively involving 402 Italian companies and engaging 230 UK and
Irish stakeholders.
Key sectoral success stories and milestones from this
period include:
1. High-Tech and Artificial Intelligence
Expansion
At the AI Summit London 2026 (a core fixture of
London Tech Week), the ITA established a dedicated Italian Pavilion.
- The
Scale: The initiative successfully debuted 22
cutting-edge Italian startups and tech companies to the UK market.
- The
Outcome: Led by ITA London Director Giovanni
Sacchi, the mission facilitated direct B2B matchmaking with international
venture capitalists, corporate buyers, and British tech leaders to
accelerate funding and cross-border tech integration.
2. Horticultural and Plant Export Surges
Bilateral green trade between Italy and the UK reached
major milestones following targeted ITA trade missions.
- The
Figures: Driven by intense promotional
activity, Italian exports of live plants to the UK hit €43 million.
- Key
Actions: In September 2026, the ITA wrapped
up a major four-day business mission at the Four Oaks Trade Show in
collaboration with the Italian Embassy and the national nursery
association (ANVE). The agency also hosted the Greenitaly Agorà at
London's Farmers Club to connect Italian landscape and nursery innovators
directly with British urban regeneration projects.
3. EdTech Breakthroughs
The educational technology sector saw an unprecedented
level of visibility during winter trade campaigns.
- BETT
London: The ITA organized a massive showing
at the global EdTech hub, anchoring a multi-day showcase for Italian
digital learning tools.
- Ecosystem
Synergy: In tandem with the event, the ITA
and the Italian Embassy hosted an exclusive ecosystem matchmaking event at
Casa Italia. The initiative directly connected Italian EdTech
pioneers with major UK investment players and venture funds, including
techUK and Emerge VC.
4. Consolidation of Traditional "Made
in Italy" Sectors
Despite post-Brexit logistical shifts and global
economic headwinds, the ITA successfully insulated and grew market share for
traditional manufacturing sectors:
- Agrifood
Resiliency: Targeted retail partnerships pushed
Italian agrifood exports up +4.2%, accounting for over 12% of all
Italian exports into the London hub.
- Fashion
& Design: Through initiatives like the Scoop
International London collective pavilion and the London Design
Festival, the ITA repositioned Italian apparel and high-end natural stone
manufacturers to adapt to modern UK boutique buying habits (shifting
toward coordinated lifestyle layouts rather than isolated product sourcing).
Many major Italian multinationals
maintain a massive commercial and operational footprint in London and across
the United Kingdom through 2025 and 2026. Despite macroeconomic shifts, the UK
remains one of Italy's most strategic trading partners.
The Italian companies with the most dominant presence
in the UK operate across four main sectors:
Aerospace, Defense and Engineering
- Leonardo
S.p.A.
As a pillar of the UK’s defense ecosystem, Leonardo represents one of the largest industrial footprints of any foreign firm. Employing over 8,000 people across several major UK sites (including Edinburgh, Yeovil, and Luton), they are deeply embedded in Ministry of Defence contracts. Notably, Leonardo is actively bidding its M-346 aircraft to replace the Royal Air Force's BAE Systems Hawk. - Prysmian
Group
The world leader in energy and telecom cable systems has a critical footprint in the UK, overseeing major national grid infrastructure upgrades and clean energy transitions across the country.
Banking and Financial Services
London serves as the ultimate international financial
hub for Italy’s primary institutions:
- Intesa
Sanpaolo and UniCredit
Both of Italy's largest banking giants operate heavy corporate and investment banking (CIB) hubs in the City of London, managing multi-billion dollar cross-border financial syndications. - Mediobanca
Maintains a highly active corporate finance and asset management advisory arm right out of its London office. - FinecoBank
Enjoys an expansive retail footprint in the UK, serving as a highly popular online trading and brokerage platform for British consumers.
Energy and Infrastructure
- Eni
The energy giant operates broad-scale upstream oil and gas exploration assets in the North Sea and is rapidly scaling its UK footprint via carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiatives, such as the HyNet North West project. - Enel
Through its various trading arms and renewable energy offshoots, Enel handles massive electricity and commodities trading operations directly out of London.
Luxury, Retail and Hospitality
London acts as the commercial gateway for Italy's
premium sectors, supported heavily by the Italian Trade Agency's London
office.
- Luxury
Fashion Houses
Brands like Prada Group, Moncler, and Brunello Cucinelli own multiple flagship boutiques across Mayfair, New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and employ thousands across retail operations and UK corporate headquarters. - Campari
Group
The spirits giant has a robust corporate base in London overseeing its massive market share in the British beverage and hospitality sectors. - Big
Mamma Group
In the culinary space, this highly popular Italian hospitality group employs hundreds of people across London at famous, high-volume trattorias like Circolo Popolare and Gloria.
The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) helps UK
companies invest, expand, and set up operations in Italy through its Invest
in Italy department and specialized UK-based desks.
Key Services for UK Investors
- Initial
Guidance & Market Intelligence: Provides data on
legal frameworks, tax rules, sector ecosystems, and regional clusters via
the Italian Trade Agency.
- Brexit
and FDI Support: Operates dedicated Brexit and
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) desks to navigate post-Brexit trade and
regulatory transitions.
- Incentive
Navigation: Helps investors identify national
grants, subsidized loans, multi-year funds, and tax reliefs (such as the
National Recovery and Resilience Plan allocations).
- Site
Selection and Tutoring: Assists with
location identification, permit requirements, and long-term tutoring for
strategic investments.
- Partner
Matching: Connects foreign firms with Italian
supply chains, joint-venture partners, and local institutions
The Italian Trade Agency (ITA), working
alongside the Invest in Italy program, actively
supports UK companies looking to establish or expand their footprints in Italy.
Through its dedicated Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) desk at the ITA London
Office, the agency facilitates cross-border operations during the 2025–2026
period.
Investment Value and Trade Context
- Overall
FDI Target: Italy’s overall foreign direct
investment influx is estimated to reach €35 billion, driven heavily
by expansions in high-tech and advanced sectors. [1]
- UK-Italy
Trade & Investment Volume: According to
official UK government factsheets tracking metrics into 2026, the total
trade in goods and services between the UK and Italy sits at £53.7
billion. Within this, total UK exports (which include commercial
investments and services supply) amount to £19.7 billion, with
services accounting for the majority share at 52.3% (£10.3
billion).
Key Sectors Targeted for UK Investors
The ITA prioritizes several strategic, high-growth
ecosystems where UK corporate strengths align with Italian government
incentives (such as the Italian Chips Act and the Green New Deal).
- Greentech
and Circular Economy: Focuses on renewable energy
production and sustainable materials. Italy maintains an 18.7% circular
material use rate, making it a prime hub for UK clean-energy firms.
- Life
Sciences and Healthcare: Attracting UK
biotech and pharma companies leveraging Italy’s strong clinical research
framework.
- Advanced
Manufacturing and Mechatronics: Automation,
robotics, and industrial machinery, capitalizing on Italy's status as the
second-largest manufacturer in Europe.
- ICT,
AI and EdTech: Supported by collaborative platforms
like the BETT UK showcase, ITA actively channels investments into digital
creativity, software engineering, and artificial intelligence.
- Aerospace
and Microelectronics: Backed by heavy contributions
to the European Space Agency (ESA) and domestic microchip funding
frameworks.
- Real
Estate and Hospitality (Tourism): Driven by
structured incentive packages, tax credits, and joint promotional
campaigns (like the Area Italia framework at the International
Hospitality Investment Forum) aimed at institutional investors.
How ITA Helps UK Companies
UK enterprises can access end-to-end guidance from the
ITA Foreign Investments Attraction Department:
- Tax
and Incentive Navigation: Guiding firms
through regional and national grants, hyper-depreciation tax benefits, and
R&D credits.
- Site
Selection: Matching corporate requirements to
regional innovation clusters and Mediterranean logistics hubs.
- B2B Matchmaking: Leveraging the ITA Partner Directory to pair UK capital with local industrial providers.
