by Roberta Imbimbo
Dr. Manzoni, with what mission was GCC Advisors born?
Born in 2021 with the ambitious goal of becoming an important reference point in the field of business internationalisation, today GCC Advisors is absolutely able to provide highly qualified and reliable consultancy to those entrepreneurial realities that wish to export their business to some strategic foreign markets, such as the Arab Emirates and North Africa. Thanks to a strategic vision, aimed at customer-centricity, and to highly specialised know-how, this young and dynamic company based in Desenzano del Garda, with offices in Milan and Dubai, accompanies and supports Italian companies in the delicate and articulated process of international development, so that they are effectively able to grow and prosper in profitable markets full of opportunities such as those of the Middle East.
What distinguishes you from your competitors?
In addition to the experience we have gained over many years, our main strength is undoubtedly our ability to offer tailor-made, 360-degree consultancy, rigorously customised and tailored to the needs of each individual business. Our main added and competitive value, which has allowed us to clearly differentiate ourselves from other market players, is also represented by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals of the highest level, who support the client in all phases of internationalisation (both in the analytical and operational phases), with the aim of providing a well-targeted and structured market penetration strategy. For us, the quality of the service offered is an essential value, precisely to protect the companies that rely on our experience and professionalism. This will/need arose from a negative personal experience (which cost me a loss of about 180,000 euro), lasting about two years, with non-certified Temporary Exporters, which made me realise the importance of investing in a professional service of experts of the highest profile, since the internationalisation process is well regulated and very articulated. And so, thanks to the invaluable collaboration of Alberto Bertini, a UNI-11823 certified Senior Export Manager, and Certified Public Accountant Marco Scardeoni, one of Italy’s leading experts in international tax planning with a specialisation in Persian Gulf countries, today GCC Advisors is a strategic partner for those companies that want to successfully open up to foreign markets.
Dr. Scardeoni, the presence of an international tax expert in the company is really strategic since the internationalisation process is not without tax risks.
That’s right. Business internationalisation operations require an analysis of the tax risks that arise from doing business in different jurisdictions, also in light of the new rules dictated at international level. This is why they must be done in a very conscientious and cautious manner, in line with what is laid down by Italian law, to avoid the possibility that any opening of offices abroad could be seen as a tool for tax avoidance or esterovestizione.
Expanding the business of companies to the outside world is a real mission for you today. But today you are also involved in raising awareness among Italian entrepreneurs for a more innovative corporate culture.
Absolutely! Today we are on the board of an association, OpenIndustria, whose objective is to disseminate the industrial entrepreneurial culture of our country, to remind us of what is too often forgotten, namely that Italy is one of the world’s seven industrial powers, with a very strong and stable economy. In an increasingly globalised world, internationalisation represents an excellent opportunity to be more competitive in the global international scenario (in the first half of 2024, Italy ranked fourth in the world for exports). However, SMEs, which represent around 95% of the Italian entrepreneurial fabric, are not sufficiently structured to successfully address foreign markets, when they could further boost these already positive figures. The hope, and consequently our most ambitious challenge, is that in the future more SMEs will be able to open up to foreign markets with confidence, in the knowledge, however, that in this field it is essential to rely on a qualified partner that is truly able to promote their international growth with a certified method.
