New Year’s Message from Crispin Conroy, Australian Consul General in Milan

Thank you to the Easy Milano team for again giving me the opportunity to send a Seasons Greetings message to your readers! And, as I understand this will be the last issue of Easy Milano after many successful years, I would like to thank the team for providing such a great service for all expats – you, and Easy Milano, will be missed…

I have just completed my first year as Consul-General in Milan, and Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner for Italy and Israel, and I have already had the chance to meet and work with many innovative and dynamic Italian businesses – many of them world leaders in their field – across a range of sectors, including renewable energy, agribusiness, education technologies (edutech), automotive engineering and medical technology.

The focus of my work as Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner, and the Austrade team in Milan, is primarily to promote Australia as a destination for productive foreign investment by large and medium size Italian enterprises throughout Italy, in coordination with my colleagues in the Australian Embassy in Rome.

Australia has one of the best records of sustained economic growth in the world, and a significant part of this success has been underpinned by foreign investment, including from Italy and Europe more broadly. There is a recognition in Australia that Italian companies can continue to contribute greatly to our growth in the future through productive investments and partnerships in Australia.

My consular role in northern Italy is also a major priority for the Australian Government. The Consulate’s consular and passport team is very active, and assists many Australians every week, in close cooperation with the Consul and her team in Rome.

In my message last year, some of you may remember I mentioned that my passion is the ocean, and I that I had had the privilege to build links between the surfing communities in Latin America and Australia during my time as Ambassador in Chile. I have been quickly discovering that Italy has a vibrant surf culture, and I have already discovered some good surf breaks and met some of the local surfer community!

Let me wish you all the very best for the festive and holiday season; especially those Australians – like me and my family – making the long trip home.

Best Wishes for a Happy New Year,

Crispin Conroy
Australian Consul General &
Senior Trade and Investment Commisioner