Webuild CEO, Salini: “a new extraordinary plan for growth in Italy and Europe.”

Presentation of Aspenia special report “Intelligent Infrastructure. A Strategic Vision for Italy’s Development” produced in collaboration with Webuild

Aspen Institute Italia event hosted at EVOLUTIO, multimedia exhibition on infrastructure promoted by Webuild and open until May 3 at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology

MILAN, March 31, 2026 – “The current phase of infrastructure investment at the Italian and European levels must be the springboard for an even more ambitious vision, for a new extraordinary plan for growth plan across the entire system. In a new global order that is more unstable and fragmented, the key will be to equip ourselves with a broader long‑term infrastructure investment programme that secures Italy and Europe, transforming physical networks into a true strategic defense.”

With these words, Pietro Salini, Chief Executive Officer of Webuild, addressed Aspenia Talks, an event organised by Aspen Institute Italia at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology.

The event provided the opportunity to present Aspenia’s special report “Intelligent Infrastructure. A Strategic Vision for Italy’s Development”, produced in partnership with Webuild. The discussion was part of the Public Program linked to EVOLUTIO, a multimedia exhibition by Webuild and open to the public until May 3, illustrating how major civil engineering works—such as transport and energy networks—have historically enabled well‑being and industrial growth in Italy.

In addition to Webuild’s Salini, speakers included Giulio Tremonti, Chair of the Foreign and EU Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies and President of Aspen Institute Italia; Marta Dassù, Director of Aspenia; Mathieu Grosch, European Coordinator for the TEN‑T Mediterranean Corridor, European Commission; Carlo Ratti, Director of the Senseable City Laboratory, MIT; Landon Derentz, Vice President, Atlantic Council; and Aurelio Regina, Energy Delegate, Confindustria.

“As early as 2000, I proposed relaunching a tool through a new ‘Legge Obiettivo’ (Target Law) to once again prioritise the country's major strategic infrastructure,” Tremonti later commented. “In a context marked by complex transitions and increasingly intense international competition, it is essential to recover that spirit: streamlining procedures, clarifying priorities, and ensuring rapid decision-making. These are the necessary conditions to support growth and strengthen Italy’s competitiveness.”

Salini highlighted how innovation has once again become a physical challenge.
“Without robust electrical grids and physical connections, artificial intelligence comes to a halt. Today, the challenge is not only in the algorithms, but in the ability to build and manage the infrastructure that supports them. It is vital that our companies play a leading role in these global projects, which will form the platform for the next phase of international competitiveness,” he said. “Conflicts are creating uncertainty, but precisely in this context infrastructure becomes a factor of stability. Competitive advantage does not belong to those who are geographically closest to markets, but to those who are most reliable.”

According to Salini, integrating ports and railways is the only way to ensure that Italy remains central and competitive within an integrated European framework: “There are three pillars for relaunching the system: continuity of programmes to provide certainty for supply chains, approval times aligned with real‑world economic needs, and the skills required to manage the entire life cycle of public works. At both national and European level, we must increasingly plan with a counter‑cyclical approach, transforming our geography into a lasting competitive advantage for people and businesses.”