Webuild CEO Salini: “Collaboration between Institutions, Industry and Universities is key to making the Country’s Infrastructure System ever more competitive”

MILAN, April 15, 2026 – “In order to keep competing at the highest level in a global infrastructure market that is expected to reach $5.18 trillion by 2030, it is essential that we further strengthen collaboration in a systemic way among institutions, industry and academia. More than any technology, it is this kind of alliance that can transform a project into a legacy for future generations,” said Pietro Salini, Chief Executive Officer of Webuild at “Costruire secondo bellezza. Dove infrastrutture e design si incontrano” (“Building Through Beauty. Where Infrastructure and Design Meet”), an event that is part of the programme of the EVOLUTIO exhibition being hosted by the Group until May 3 at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan.

Also taking part in the today’s event alongside Pietro Salini were Maria Porro, President of the Salone del Mobile di Milano; Mario Cucinella, founder of MCA – Mario Cucinella Architects; Francesco Zurlo, Dean of the School of Design at the Politecnico di Milano university; Antonio Calabrò, President of Museimpresa; and Guido Guerzoni, Professor of Museum Management at Bocconi University. 

To meet this global challenge, “Webuild acts as the leader of a structured supply chain that brings together 17,500 companies to form a true ‘travelling industrial district’, capable of exporting Italian know-how to major infrastructure projects at the global level. It can even be done in times of geopolitical instability, when large, complex projects represent a crucial counter-cyclical investment. This ecosystem of production goes beyond a price-only approach, focusing instead on quality, aesthetics, reliability and the ability to manage and deliver projects of extreme complexity.”

In this vision of shared growth, Webuild’s investments in training and safety become a common asset for the Group’s approximately 95,000 people, 22,000 of whom are in Italy, as well as for the supply chain. “Through a model that provides training via multiple schools, the Group ensures a generational transfer of unique technical skills, thereby addressing the mismatch between supply and demand for qualified labour,” Salini commented. This commitment is also reflected in a widespread safety culture: more than three million hours of training delivered between 2022 and 2025 have enabled the Group to become best- in-class globally in occupational health and safety, raising operational standards across the entire supply chain.

It is in this way that infrastructure becomes the foundation of civic life, capable of regenerating the urban fabric and enhancing historical heritage, as demonstrated by the Art Stations of Naples, the archeostations of Porta Metronia and Colosseo/Fori Imperiali along Line C of Rome Metro, and the discoveries uncovered during the construction of Milan’s M4 metro line. “By integrating cutting-edge research with the technical expertise of master builders, Italy can continue to deliver projects that are not only functional, but also contemporary landmarks designed to stand the test of time,” Salini concluded.