Strengthening the Australia-Italy relationship through business, institutional and organisational cooperation

Institutional Affiliates

AIBA is the leading business association in Italy with official patronage from the Australian Embassy in Rome. Supported by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and the European Australian Business Council (EABC), we serve as a platform to strengthen bilateral relationships through trade, investment and policy engagement.

Connecting Stakeholders, Building Opportunities

AIBA is a premier non-profit association serving as a strategic bridge between Australian and Italian businesses, institutions and professionals.

Under the Patronage of the Australian Embassy in Rome and institutional affiliation with the Australian Trade & Investment Commission (Austrade) and the European Australian Business Council (EABC), AIBA promotes high-level engagement through roundtables, networking events and sector-specific initiatives.

Our aim is to strengthen bilateral trade, foster investment and policy dialogue, and enable organisations to identify opportunities and thrive across both markets.

Exploring Key Areas of Impact

AIBA’s focus areas reflect our commitment to driving sustainable progress, fostering innovation, and creating economic opportunities through bilateral collaboration between Australia and Italy. Each area highlights specific initiatives and strategic goals that support businesses, industries, and communities.

Collaboration

AIBA fosters collaboration between Australian and Italian stakeholders by creating meaningful platforms for exchange between business leaders, institutions, and academia. Through strategic partnerships, roundtables, and bilateral initiatives, we promote shared innovation, investment, and policy alignment that strengthen long-term economic and social ties. Collaboration is the foundation of our mission to build a resilient, future-focused relationship between the two countries.

Dedication

Our work is driven by a deep commitment to advancing strategic outcomes for members and partners. AIBA’s dedication is reflected in our continuous engagement with emerging opportunities, our responsiveness to member needs, and our proactive role in addressing global challenges such as climate change, digital transformation, and talent development. We believe dedication translates into results when it is grounded in dialogue, trust, and action.

Integrity

Integrity is central to every initiative AIBA supports. We uphold the highest standards of transparency, ethical governance, and accountability in all collaborations and communications. By encouraging honest exchange and responsible leadership, we ensure that our platform remains a trusted space for stakeholders navigating complex global environments across sectors.

Connection

AIBA creates connections that go beyond networking — we enable strategic links that open new markets, accelerate innovation, and drive sustainable growth. Whether bridging regions, sectors, or generations, our focus is on building high-value relationships that contribute to a more interconnected and inclusive bilateral business ecosystem.

Connecting Markets, Building Opportunities

Subscribe to receive the latest news, event invitations, and insights on Australia–Italy economic and institutional collaboration.

Legal Structure & Compliance

AIBA operates as a non-profit association with limited liability, officially recognised under Italian law as an Associazione di Promozione Sociale (APS).

The organisation upholds the highest legal and governance standards, with a minimum capital of €15,000 in compliance with national regulations.

Governance & Membership

AIBA’s direction is defined by its registered statute and an active Board (Consiglio Direttivo) composed of Australian government representatives, industry leaders, and professionals committed to strengthening bilateral relations.

The association offers four membership tiers—Leading Sponsorship, Corporate, Medium Enterprise, and Knowledge Network Partners—available to entities with a minimum annual turnover of AUD $30 million.

Leadership Committed to Bilateral Progress

AIBA’s Board brings together senior figures from government, academia and the private sector. Their diverse experience and international outlook drive the association’s strategic direction and reinforce its role as a trusted voice in Australia–Italy relations.

Patron

H.E Julianne Cowley

Ms Julianne Cowley is Ambassador of Australia to Italy, San Marino and Albania and Ambassador-designate to Libya, and Permanent Representative of Australia to the UN Agencies in Rome (FAO, WFP).

Prior to this she was Assistant Secretary, Pacific Development in the Office of the Pacific in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. From 2018-2021, Ms Cowley was Consul-General in Ho Chi Minh City. She has served as Assistant Secretary Health Policy where she established the Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security. Ms Cowley was previously Assistant Secretary Staff Welfare Branch and, in the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), was Assistant Director-General for People, Policy and Planning. Ms Cowley is a founding board member of Pacific Women Lead and the Asia Pacific Leader’s Malaria Alliance and has undertaken development work in Northern Thailand. She holds a Master of Business Administration, Graduate Diploma of Education, Bachelor of Communication and Associate Diploma in Music.

President

Taylee Lewis

Taylee is the Co-Founder and President of the Australia Italy Business Association. She has held positions in both Australia and Italy as a corporate affairs consultant, most recently as Head

of Corporate Affairs (Europe) for advisory firm Cornerstone Group. She is a regular guest lecturer on the institutional environment for business at chambers of commerce, industrial associations and universities, including Bergamo University in Northern Italy. Taylee started her career as a business journalist in Sydney. She holds a Global MBA from Instituto de Empresa in Madrid (IE University), graduating at the top of her class with Dean’s list honours; Master of International Relations (Griffith University) and a Bachelor of Media (Communications and Journalism) from the University of New South Wales.

Vice President

Diana Brock

Diana Brock is the Co- Founder and Vice President of the Australia Italy Business Association. She is an experienced international business professional based in Milan for 35 years.

She lead KPMG Advisory’s International Business Practice; was a consultant to SDA Bocconi in international market entry and capability development and merger and acquisition integration. Diana importantly has represented several Australian companies sourcing from and selling into the Italian market. Her sector experience in utilities, digital, high technology and wool. Diana has a BSc (ANU) and a Research Master in Industrial Economics (Monash) where she was sponsored by Australia Wool International to research the wool sector value chain in Europe.

Honorary Board Member

Rachel White

Rachel was appointed Consul-General Milan and Trade and Investment Commissioner for Italy, Israel, and Czech Republic in July 2024. She has previously served

as Trade Commissioner for the Government of Canada at the Consulate-General of Canada in Sydney. In addition to advancing the bilateral trade and investment relationship between Australia and Canada, Rachel was responsible for the effective delivery of consular services and operationalising Canada’s immigration programs. Prior to relocating to Milan, Rachel held various roles with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) in Australia, with responsibility for advancing Australia’s commercial interests through trade promotion strategies and attracting and facilitating foreign direct investment from the Americas.

Board Member

Franco Bruni

President of the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) and Co-Head of the Observatory on Europe and Global Governance. Professor Emeritus at Bocconi University and a

current Fellow of the university’s Institute for European Policymaking. He has been a visiting Professor at the University of NSW and has a keen interest in Australia and the development of stronger EU- Australia relations. He is the Vice President of the UniCredit Foundation and a member of advisory boards and working groups of the World Bank and the EU Commission for Financial Services.

Board Member & Secretary

Fiona de Jong

A leading figure in the international sporting community, she served as CEO and Director of Sport at the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and holds board positions with

Surfing Australia, the Australian Sports Diplomacy Advisory Council and the National Sports Tribunal. She leads the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) European Training Centre in Gavirate, Italy, overseeing the Australian Sports Commission’s operations in Europe ahead of the Paris 2024 and Milano/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games. Fiona was previously Head of Australia’s Nation Brand and Chief Marketing Officer at the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), leading Australia’s international global brand initiative to encourage investment and tourism. LLB (Hons), BIT, AMP (Harvard).

Board Member

Andrea De Gaspari

Andrea is the Head of the International Network Office within the Institutional Affairs and External Communication Division at Intesa Sanpaolo.

The Office coordinates and promotes institutional relations with the aim of supporting and developing the bank’s internationalization process. Andrea’s previous roles at Intesa Sanpaolo include Senior Manager in the International Directorate of the IMI Corporate & Investment Banking Division, Area Manager for Eastern Europe and the Balkans, and Head of Foreign Network Development for Public Finance. He holds a PhD in Business Law (University of Naples Federico II) and a degree in Economics and Commerce (Sapienza University of Rome).

Board Member

Stefano Fierro

Country Head for Italy at Goodman. Responsible for investment and development projects in industrial, logistics and data centre sectors. Stefano previously

served Goodman as senior technical development and asset manager. Before joining Goodman, he gained extensive experience in real estate, infrastructure and project management fields. MBA (ESCP, Paris), Master in Project Management (Politecnico, Milan), BAs in Structural and Management Engineering (Federico II, University of Naples).

Board Member

Giuseppe Artizzu

Giuseppe is the Chief Executive Officer of NHOA SA and NHOA Energy. He worked for ten years with Lehman Brothers in London, Milan and Rome, responsible for the utilities sector

in Southern Europe and corporate finance activities in the European renewable energy field. Giuseppe is a regular contributor on energy matters for the Huffington Post and contributor to sector journals Qualenergia, Staffetta Quotidiana and Quotidiano Energia. He graduated cum laudae in Economy & Finance at the University of Bologna.

Treasurer & Board Member

Monica Rota

Dottore commercialista e Partner di Nexus Avvocati e Commercialisti, dove coordina la divisione internazionalizzazione dello studio.

Ricopre incarichi di sindaco e revisore legale in società operanti in diversi settori. Esperta consulente fiscale per enti non profit e di utilità sociale, Monica supporta efficacemente la sostenibilità finanziaria a lungo termine di AIBA.