To the shareholders,
Despite the difficult international economic environment, 2009 closed positively, confirming the solidity and seriousness of our Group, which for more than 40 years has stood for commitment, growth and consistency of results.
The seriousness of our work, which in practice means doing the things we know how to do well, is guiding us responsibly in our development plans, primarily the commercial ones, by following a vision that always has the future in its sights.
In 2009, the Opening Soon… project marked the start of an investment program in the store network, by seeking out and applying new ideas to the sales space, our established identity card, the mirror of the values of the Benetton brands and the object over the years of a continuous series of innovations.
The new store in Istanbul, opened in 2009, represents the first concrete step in this innovative commercial development policy which, thanks to the collaboration of an established, active network of business partners, looks ahead to respond with energy and dynamism to the complexity of the world market, taking up opportunities as and when they arise.
Today, for example, we are working with interest and commitment in the great Asian markets, spanning the Mediterranean to East Asia, in a spirit of openness without prejudice. In
India
, we are achieving very positive results; in
China
, which more than ever represents a major opportunity, and in
South Korea
, where we are seeing important prospects for growth. Without forgetting Europe, our domestic market capable of always generating strong results, and countries in Eastern Europe, including Russia, which, apart from an isolated period, continue to offer major growth prospects.
Our desire to grow and progress has remained the same over the years. We can rely on a dynamic, responsible business model which looks beyond obstacles and boundaries. We shall continue to invest in our business with intelligence: in the future of our stores and in hi-tech, in high quality products and in customer satisfaction.
We know we are living in complex times but we are facing the new challenges with a motivated optimism rooted in our history and achievements. And this is why it is the key to our future.
Luciano Benetton, Chairman Benetton Group