Regina Corradini D’Arienzo leads SIMEST in strategic partnership with Renco Group to boost international growth of Italian SMEs

A new step forward for Italy’s industrial supply chains: sustainability, digital innovation, and global expansion at the heart of the SIMEST–Renco Group agreement.

SIMEST, the company of the CDP Group led by Regina Corradini D’Arienzo, has signed a key memorandum of understanding with Renco Group, a major Italian player in the energy, buildings, and asset management sectors. The agreement is aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of Renco’s supply chain companies—especially SMEs—by facilitating access to SIMEST’s financial tools for internationalization, innovation, and sustainability.

This partnership is part of SIMEST’s “Filiere d’Impatto” (Impactful Supply Chains) project, a strategic initiative guided by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, designed to support the growth and competitiveness of Italian supply chains, including those not yet active abroad. In particular, the agreement with Renco includes access to the Africa Measure, launched within the Mattei Plan, to encourage investments in Africa focusing on digitalization, training of local skilled workers, green transition, and capital strengthening.

“Supporting companies within industrial supply chains is a strategic priority for SIMEST,” said Regina Corradini D’Arienzo, CEO of SIMEST. “This agreement marks another key milestone in our mission to help Italian SMEs scale globally, through targeted and sustainable investments. We are committed to offering concrete support tools—developed in synergy with Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—that foster long-term, structured international growth”.

The partnership enables SIMEST to identify the needs of Renco’s suppliers in line with the group’s industrial goals, providing soft loans for investments in innovation, sustainability, and organizational strengthening. Companies will also benefit from support for hiring temporary managers, improving workplace safety, obtaining certifications and patents, and opening new international offices. SIMEST will also organize dedicated events to promote its financial and operational instruments, especially for SMEs based in Southern Italy.

Giovanni Rubini, CEO of Renco Group, emphasized the strategic value of the collaboration: “This agreement strengthens the resilience and global readiness of our supply chain. SIMEST has been a key partner in our international ventures, including our energy plant in Yerevan, Armenia, and soon in the port and logistics hub of Pemba, Tanzania. Their support is essential for building a sustainable, future-oriented growth model”.

With this new partnership, Regina Corradini D’Arienzo reaffirms SIMEST’s role as a cornerstone of Italy’s international business ecosystem—promoting sustainable development, inclusive growth, and a forward-looking approach to new global opportunities.