The Daily recently sat down with Antonino Laspina, the newly appointed  U.S. trade commissioner and executive director of the Italian Trade Agency, at his Upper East Side office to learn how ITA is making a huge push to bring Italian brands to the forefront in the American market.  

What is the Italian Trade Agency’s mission?
It’s a government agency in charge of promoting Italy abroad. We were under the guidance of the Ministry of Economic Development until last year, but now we are under the guidance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Economic Corporation. This is important for us because the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) will now be more effective, have more support, and be put into a system of economic diplomacy.