CAAB Bologna wholesale market

Bologna's Commissioner Anna Maria Cancellieri has reportedly confirmed plans to install new senior management at the Italian city's main wholesale market following a recent vote of no confidence in the centre's president, Alberto Maffei Alberti, and its board.

As reported in the Italian press yesterday, market traders organisation FedagroMercati Acmo submitted the no confidence motion in protest at what its members saw as a lack of investment and adequate leadership at the Centro Agro Alimentare Bologna (CAAB).

'Before the end of the week, we expect new management to come in which will shake up the market and be able to relaunch it,' the Commissioner told reporters.

According to reports, a new general manager is set to be appointed to lead the centre future development.

Mr Maffei Alberti was apparently absent from a recent meeting between CAAB officials and Ascom representatives, prompting association chief Valentino Di Pisa to criticise him for a 'lack of respect and an inability to accept the debate'.

Acmo's members feel in particular that the Bologna city government's decision to merge management company CAAB Mercati with real estate holding group CAAB scpa in 2005 has led to a lack of investment and strategic planning.

'CAAB is in big trouble,' Commissioner Cancellieri admitted, although she insisted the leadership issue would be resolved shortly.