Cattolica Assicurazioni is preparing to decide on the transformation from cooperative to joint-stock company and the consequent partnership with Generali at next Saturday's shareholders' meeting. While awaiting the opening of the voters' envelopes, the counting of the shareholders' pronouncements and the communication of the final result (the verdict on Saturday morning), consensus around the operation is growing. Meanwhile, the Veronese company - which yesterday acquired the minority stake in Berica Vita from Popolare di Vicenza - is already there confronted with the unions to give guarantees on headquarters and employment: the response of the workers' representatives has so far been positive, as from the point of view of employment, the Cattolica-Generali affair does not envisage negative repercussions. In addition to the protection of jobs and offices, the Cattolica-Generali agreement in fact envisages initiatives aimed at enhancing existing professionalism with a view to further development through training.
Furthermore, already in recent days the representatives of Cattolica's agency network – Gruppo Agenti FATA and Gaa (Gruppo Aziendale Agenti Cattolica) – approved the agreement with il Leone, hoping for the transfer of the Veronese company into a spa. “The value of our network is reaffirmed by a partner of the highest order,” he wrote Donato Lucchetta (president of the Cattolica Agents Group) in a letter to the associates. Even the President of the Veronese industrialists, Michele Bauli, intervened on the transformation into a joint stock company and on the entry of Generali, considering it a "partnership that can help Cattolica grow". Applause also from trade associations. The operation is in fact welcomed by Confindustria e Confagricoltura, which are expressed in a positive way.
Also intervened in favor of the Generali-Cattolica operation in recent days Giuseppe Riello, president of the Chamber of Commerce. Luigi Frascino representing Credit Network & Finance and Giuseppe Lovati Cottini, as minority shareholders of Cattolica Assicurazioni, finally had the opportunity to meet the top management of the Generali group, including the managing director Philippe Donnet and Marco Sesana, country manager and CEO of Generali Italia and Global Business Lines. “The idea has strengthened – explains a note – that the prospects of the share partnership agreement between Cattolica and Generali and the contextual transformation into a joint-stock company, as proposed by Cattolica's Board of Directors, not only protect the founding principles and independence of Cattolica Assicurazioni but also represent a historic and unmissable opportunity for the enhancement of both companies in respect of the distinctive characteristics of each".
