Alessandro VALENTE

Born in 1963 in the historic Samnite town of Benevento, in central-southern Italy, Alessandro Valente is an economist and chartered accountant with over 25 years of experience in complex project development, strategic planning, and EU-funded programs for local development and territorial innovation.

Graduated in Economics at the University of Naples in 1995, he is a certified Public Accountant and Auditor since 2000. Over the decades, he has provided consultancy to public bodies and private entities, focusing on regional development, financial engineering, and the promotion of sustainable, inclusive growth through European instruments such as LEADER, Creative Europe, Horizon, and the European Social Fund.

His longstanding passion for territory and community has led him to design and coordinate numerous socio-economic and tourism-based development projects in Southern Italy, particularly in rural and inner areas. He is deeply involved in community-led local development (CLLD), serving as Financial and Administrative Manager for Local Action Groups (GALs), and supporting cultural events, transnational cooperation, and landscape-based regeneration strategies.

Since 2021, he has been a proud Member of the International Jury (70 members) of the GRAND PRIX DU DESIGN in Montréal, Canada – a prestigious appointment reflecting his commitment to design excellence and cross-cultural dialogue. He believes that beauty, dialogue, and place-based development are powerful forces for shaping a better world.

He is currently engaged in the strategic coordination of a development initiative involving 53 municipalities in the province of Caserta, home to the architectural masterpiece of the Royal Palace of Caserta by Vanvitelli.

Alessandro lives with his wife Angelina, and their two sons: Alessandro Jr., a physicist, and Ivan, a high school student. A firm believer in the power of human relationships and shared vision, he continues to build bridges between people, places, and ideas. Four years ago he promoted an event in a small town in southern Italy, Molinara, to which he invited the Montreal architect Jaime Bouzaglo, and with whom he formed a beautiful, ever-strong friendship. He has always believed that positive relationships between people can change the world. He hopes that's the case!