Rome Asharq Al-Awsat- A delegation from Saudi Research & Marketing Group (SRMG), led by Prince Faisal Bin Salman, chairman and executive president of the group, recently visited Italy.

The delegation met with top executives of leading media organizations in Italy and discussed prospects of cooperation and setting up of joint investment projects in publishing, distribution, advertising, printing, specialized publications and training.

The delegation first visited RCS, one of the largest media companies that publish newspapers and magazines, and met with the group’s Chief Executive Officer Vittorio A. Colao.

The two sides discussed prospects of strengthening cooperation between the two companies. SRMG has already signed an agreement with RCS to publish its La Gazzetta dello Sport, the first and oldest sports daily in the world. RCS also publishes Corriere della Sera, the first and largest circulating political newspaper in the country.

The delegation then visited Class Editori, another major media company specializing in economic publications and met with its Editor in Chief and CEO Paolo Panerai. They discussed prospects of establishing joint investment projects and developing business publications as well as the role of modern technology in bringing out such publications.

The SRMG delegation later visited Mondadori, one of the companies of Fininvest Group. Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has a 51 percent stake in Fininvest, which is one of the largest publishers of books and specialized magazines in Italy. Experts have ranked Fininvest top among companies that specialize in such publications in the country.

The delegation included, Tariq Alhomayed, editor in chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, Abdul Wahab Al-Faiz, editor in chief of Al-Eqtisadiah business daily and Al-Majalla magazine, Muhammad Al-Harithy, editor in chief of Sayidaty magazine, Muhammad Al-Omar, executive director of specialized publications, Belaihed Al-Belaihed, director general of manpower development.