PSD Services

Role: RIS3 monitoring system researcher
Region: Italy
Year: 2021
Client: University of Padova

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE X

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Role: Team Leader
Region: MENA (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia)
Year: 2018-2019
Client: UNIDO

Team Leader of a team of seven National Experts in regional gender-sensitive value-chain mapping in seven countries: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia in the framework of the project “Promoting Women’s Empowerment (PWE) for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development in the MENA Region” (phase II).

Role: FDI and domestic investment promotion expert
Region: Italy (Trieste)
Year: 2018-2019
Client: Area Science Park

The goal of ARGO, a multi-year programme, financed by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research, Ministry of Economic Development and the Regional Government of Friuli Venezia Giulia, is to build an open and inclusive innovation system that incorporates research and industry and brings economic development by coordinating the local high-tech R&D system with digitalization and high-end training in order to optimize resource use and attract domestic and foreign direct investments in new strategic projects based on a clear industrial development strategy. The programme has four components: Industrial innovation Harbour (port and industrial zone); High Impact Net (technopark, incubators and accelerators); Industry platform for digitalization (big data, IoT, advanced manufacturing solutions, data optimization and simulation); Technology platforms for applied and industrial research [open source description].

In the Industrial Innovation Harbour component, as a Consultant, my responsibilities include: 1) contributing models for the strategic planning of an Industrial Innovation Harbour including investments and based on the circular economy logic; 2) drafting the organizational model for and training personnel of a One Stop Shop to target and cater domestic or foreign direct investments.

Role: Technical Evaluator
Region: Europe (Italy)
Year: 2017-2018
Client: Invitalia

Technical assessment of investment proposals.

Role: PSD Policy Expert
Region: South East Asia (Vietnam)
Year: 2016
Client: Chemonics International (USAID financing)

In the framework of USAID Governance for Inclusive Growth, advice was provided on different regulatory topics requested by the Agency for Enterprise Development in charge of drafting the first national SME law, in particular on: the rationale for SME support and for an SME law; institutional coordination, monitoring; comparative analysis of different SME support models; industry and measure prioritization aimed at increasing economy competitiveness.

Role: PSD Expert
Region: Middle East
Year: 2016
Client: Icon Institut (AFD)

In the framework of the Private Sector Development Cluster Project (PSDCP) financed by the Agence Française de Développement, the draft national cluster policy was assessed against state-of-the-art cluster policy international cases and benchmarking systems, considering the local context. Together with such analysis, further technical assistance was provided to assess public-private dialogue mechanisms, to expand range of Customs and VAT handling in export, and in capitalizing the five-year cluster project knowledge.

Role: SME Internationalization Expert
Region: Europe (Italy)
Year: 2016
Client: Invitalia (financed by the European Commission)

different studies were carried out to provide technical assistance to a central institution and four regional governments to enhance private sector internationalization through their Research and Innovation Smart Specialization Strategy (RIS3) in the framework of the National Governance Programme for the Public Administration Reform and Administration financed by ERDF. Analysis was carried out on identifying value-added products and prioritizing high-potential markets.

Role: Value-chain development expert
Region: South Asia (Bangladesh)
Year: 2011-2014
Client: IFAD

The National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) cofinanced by WB, IFAD and the national government had four components supporting extension, livestock, fishery, and value-chain development. The implementation support, supervision and technical assistance work focused on the value-chain development component and spanned three years through no. 6 implementation support and supervision missions including a Mid-Term Review (MTR) and an institutional assessment of the Horticulture Export Promotion Foundation (Hortex). Among others, such experiences allowed providing technical assistance to Hortex in enhancing their value-chain development effectiveness. An impact evaluation estimated that the project benefitted 1.2 million smallholders with a significant net income increase for those taking part to the value-chain development activities in a number of sub-Districts (Upzillas) nationwise.

Role: SME Internationalization Expert
Region: Middle East North Africa (Tunisia)
Year: 2011
Client: CUOA Foundation (financed by MAECI)

Under the coordination of the Tunisian Export Promotion Center (CEPEX), a through analysis of trade and investment flows between Tunisia, Italy and the UEMOA region was carried out to identify high-potential industries and markets for joint Italian-Tunisian private sector investments.

Role: PSD policy expert
Region: Europe (Russian Federation) 
Year: 2008
Client: CUOA Foundation (European Union – Russian Federation Tacis Programme)

The policy project “Development of financial markets: support to state policy aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the Russian economy” (EuropeAid/121435/C/SER/RU) included providing technical assistance to Federal and Regional authorities and development institutions in enhancing investment and investment-monitoring capacity for economic competitiveness. Services provided included (i) the coordination an international Team in the preparation of guidelines for the evaluation of national economy efficiency of investments of federal and regional development institutions in innovation, in consultation with Science and Technology Parks, R&D institutions, Academy of Science, private sector, regional government, regional development institutions and R&D funds; (ii) impact assessment on development institutions investments in inter-regional and inter-sectoral cluster formation; (iii) diagnostic on SME situation with central, regional Government, Chambers and firms, assessment of implications of quality difficulties in supplying to FDI.

Role: Team Leader and Feasibility Study Expert
Region: Southern Africa (Malawi)
Year: 2006
Client: ICS UNIDO

The coordination of a 9-member team led to a complete feasibility study on a national ICT telecentre infrastructure for rural communities, relying on an innovative gender- and age- sensitive quantitative methodology triangulated with participatory approaches that involved 700 community stakeholders and was published. The study included an investment business plan and was structured to be suitable for technical, informative and fundraising purposes. In 10 years, the Country established a network of more 50 telecentres nation-wise providing broadband service access to thousands in rural areas as well as small business development services.

Role: Investment Promotion and Coordination Support Consultant
Region: Europe (Italy)
Year: 2004-2005
Client: Sviluppo Italia Veneto Srl (now Invitalia)

After specific training in coordinated local development investment planning for FDI attraction, provided the national investment promotion/attraction programme with sector studies on strategic investment sectors (Machinery and ICT) in the Veneto Region, drafted an opportunity study for the expansion of a Science and Technology Park of Venice to include an ICT-focused wing, provided the Municipality of Venice with technical assistance for the establishment of two business incubators and a manual for the set-up and the start-up of SME incubators; supported the Agency in branch organisation, budgeting and work-planning.

Role: Investment Promotion Expert and Deputy Head of Investment Promotion Unit
Region: Middle East (Jordan)
Year: 2001-2003
Client: UNIDO (MAECI financing)

Long-term resident and International Expert of an investment promotion unit nested in the Jordan Investment Board, contributed to train local Investment Promotion Officers in dealing with the private sector, in selecting and communicating FDI and partnership opportunities to be promoted through a Mediterranean network of investment promotion offices and helped interested international investors with location and interaction support services. Helped 15 Jordanian SME to access a soft-loan-based credit line intermediated by commercial banks through business planning support that included strategic assessment, financial modelling (discounted cash flow) and bankable business plan preparation for investment financing. Supported the Central Bank of Jordan in monitoring performances of the credit line.

Role: SME Development Expert
Region: Europe (Italy)
Year: 2003
Client: Agitec SpA (former Agency for Technology Innovation)

Drafted a technology-rating index for SME innovation project proposals for public financing aimed at increasing public incentive efficiency by prioritizing proposals based on ranking their technological innovation content.