In a historical period characterized by growing geopolitical tensions and high market volatility, the automotive sector finds itself operating in a complex and constantly evolving environment. Understanding the macroeconomic dynamics influencing the global economy is essential to correctly interpret the ongoing changes and guide strategic decisions.

Brunello Rosa, an internationally renowned macroeconomist, will offer an authoritative and accessible interpretation of the state of global markets, analyzing the main trends, their origins, and their potential short- and long-term impacts.

Following this, an interview with Wang Du from CADA (China Automobile Dealers Association) will focus on the dynamics of the automotive market, with a focus on the evolution of the Chinese market, future prospects, the strategies of the main players, and the challenges dealers will face.

Continuing the in-depth analysis, the focus will shift to the European context. Jürgen Hasler of ZDK will offer a detailed overview of the automotive market from a German perspective, addressing key topics such as registration trends, price developments, labor rates, and financing models. The analysis will also expand to include cross-cutting issues of great relevance to the sector, such as digitalization, sustainability, and corporate governance.

The session will conclude with the award ceremony for EARS – European Automotive Retailer Satisfaction, the second edition of the index that analyzes the level of satisfaction of European dealers with brands. This event will offer a concrete snapshot of the relationship dynamics between OEMs and the distribution network, highlighting critical factors, expectations, and balances.

In a sector undergoing one of the fastest and most profound transformations in its history – cultural, technological, and competitive – leading a business no longer means focusing exclusively on sales and revenue. Today, identity is what makes the difference. A clear and consistent identity transforms the brand into a strategic compass, capable of guiding vision, values, and decisions over time.

The dealer’s brand takes shape through people, services, local roots, partnerships, and positioning choices. It is strengthened every day through the concrete experience lived by the customer, both online and offline. It is in the consistency between who you are, what you do, and how you communicate it that a solid reputation is built, destined to translate into a lasting competitive advantage.

This is the meaning of Lead With Your Brand , the fil rouge of this edition, which Quintegia will explore by offering interpretative keys and analytical tools to provide direction, coherence, and value to dealers’ future choices.

Following this, Alessandro Lazzeri from Findomestic , building on this theme, will present the evidence emerging from the relationship between consumer and dealer, offering a concrete perspective on the dynamics of trust and engagement.

Among the values that companies can no longer do without, sustainability now plays a central role. In this context, RESET analyzes dealers’ level of awareness regarding ESG factors and their ability to communicate them effectively as a distinctive element of competitive positioning. An initiative that demonstrates how clarity of identity, credibility, and the ability to communicate one’s role within the local community can strengthen brand value, setting the dealer apart in an increasingly competitive and homogeneous market.

The session will conclude with an interview with Andrea Carlucci from Toyota Motor Europe , to explore how an automotive manufacturer is addressing market dynamics and the challenges of change at a European level.

The entry of numerous new brands, particularly Asian ones, is redefining the balance of the European market and the portfolio choices of dealers. The coexistence of legacy brands, new brands, and newcomers introduces new complexities in terms of investments, positioning, customer perception, and economic sustainability.

The session will provide concrete criteria and tools to assess the compatibility between brands and turn the growing variety of offerings into a long-term competitive advantage. Quintegia will present the main insights from the New Brand Observatory and the New Brand Deep Dive, offering an updated view of the strategies, industrial strength, distribution models, and customer expectations of new-generation brands. The content will be enriched by a new framework dedicated to the compatibility between new brands and legacy brands, which integrates key variables such as required investments, range overlaps, perceived positioning, and consistency with the dealer's identity.

The session will continue with an interview with Francesco Calcara from Hyundai and Genesis, who will bring to the stage a discussion between two complementary trajectories: a well-established brand undergoing significant evolution and a premium newcomer that is redefining service and customer experience standards.

After-sales is now one of the main fields of strategic competition, where margins, loyalty, and the ability to adapt to a market driven by electrification, digitalization, and new global players are at stake. It is no longer just an operational function, but a transformation laboratory that involves processes, skills, and business models throughout the vehicle's life cycle.

The session will open with an overview based on the results of the After Sales Navigator, the Quintegia study that analyzes the performance, priorities, and evolutionary trajectories of the after-sales sector. Alberto Bet will guide the analysis of the data, offering a structured view of the drivers for change: from the optimization of workshop processes to customer data management, from digital integration to the economic sustainability of service, all the way to a map of opportunities. This contribution is designed to help networks and manufacturers understand where new valuable spaces are being created and which skills will be crucial in the coming years.

Broadening our perspective further, the discussion will extend to the international competitive dynamics that are reshaping the sector. Among the big questions about the future of after-sales is the impact of new brands and, in particular, the expansion strategy of Chinese manufacturers. To explore this scenario, Sun Xiaohong, an expert in the internationalization of the automotive industry, will offer a detailed analysis of China's export strategy, the characteristics of the supply chain, and its competitive positioning in foreign markets. The innovation in market models linked to the development of new energy vehicles, the implications for the Independent Aftermarket, and the potential effects on the distribution network and the European dealer model will also be analyzed.

This session is designed to bring together data, industry vision, and the international landscape, with a clear objective: to understand how aftersales can evolve from an operational function to a strategic platform for relationships, profitability, and differentiation in the new global competitive environment.

Generation Z is already entering the automotive market today as both customers and workforce. Grown up in a context of economic instability, technological acceleration, and social change, it is a generation that brings values and expectations that challenge established models of consumption, customer–brand relationships, and work organization. The session explores, with the support of Quintegia's data, how Gen Z is redefining mobility, cars usage patterns, decision-making logic, and the meaning attributed to brands. Authenticity, transparency, social impact, sustainability, and consistency between promise and behavior become central criteria for building trust and driving purchasing decisions, with direct implications for communication, customer experience, and retail.

On the employment front, Generation Z is changing expectations around companies, leadership, collaboration methods, and the attractiveness of the automotive sector as a professional environment. This is a crucial issue for dealers and OEMs who are called upon to compete for talent in an increasingly mobile and selective job market. The contribution of Joeri Van den Bergh, Future Consumer Expert, will therefore provide an analysis based on international data and research, translating cultural and behavioral trends into concrete implications for brands and organizations. A presentation designed to help the audience overcome generational stereotypes and understand how to integrate the expectations of this generation into marketing, retail, and people management strategies.

A program designed to understand this new generation not as the “target of the future,” but as an actor already capable of shaping the market, the job environment, and the evolution of the automotive sector.

Innovation has always been at the heart of Quintegia's vision, serving as a lever to offer the automotive community new perspectives and solutions capable of anticipating change. The Startup Generation Award returns, featuring startups in the Automotive Dealer Day Exhibition Area presenting their solutions on the Automotive Dealer Day stage in a brief pitch session designed to assess relevance, applicability, and potential impact on the business of OEMs, dealers, and the supply chain. The audience will vote for the most relevant solutions, determining the competition winner and rewarding the projects capable of generating tangible value for the sector.

The used car market is no longer just a niche segment: today it has evolved into an ecosystem that affects margins, brand positioning, accessibility to mobility, and the sustainability of business models for OEMs and dealers. In this session, we analyze the forces that are changing the second-hand market in Europe: the aging of the vehicle fleet, the centrality of cross-border flows, the impact of the technological transition on residual value, the growth of used EVs, and vehicle second-life strategies.

The analysis prepared by Quintegia will provide a strategic perspective on the role of used cars within the automotive business: second-hand becomes a key factor for managing the customer lifecycle, trust and the economic balance of networks, especially when volumes and profitability of new vehicles are under pressure.

Jamil Nur from Joint Research Centre will follow with the most up-to-date European overview based on the European Commission's study: aging of the fleet, extra-EU exports, and implications for stock availability, prices, and competitiveness among countries.

Then, Gioia Manetti from AutoScout24 will delve deeper, with data processed by Quintegia, into the dynamics of cross-border trade, one of the main drivers of the European second-hand market: stock flows, arbitrage, the role of used EVs, and strategies for operating on an international scale, balancing margins, turnover speed, and sourcing capacity.

A session designed to provide a clear view, solid data, and practical tools, helping dealers and brands interpret a rapidly changing market: the essential foundation to "lead with your brand" in the used car sector, which is no longer just a segment but an ever-evolving ecosystem.

Artificial intelligence is redefining managerial work: it is changing how decisions are made, how time is allocated, and how organizations create value. For OEMs and dealers, AI becomes an accelerator of efficiency, decision quality, and leadership in an increasingly complex and data-driven environment.

The session explores how the adoption of AI can free management from repetitive, low-value activities, creating space for strategy, people development, and market relationships; this requires new skills and clear governance of technological adoption.

In the opening, Antonio Pescapè from the University of Naples Federico II will present evidence and practical applications of Artificial Intelligence, explaining how to integrate it into daily management workflows through “plug-and-play” processes that improve productivity, clarity, and decision quality.

This will be followed by an interview with Marc Langenbrinck from Mercedes-Benz Italia, exploring the challenges that automotive manufacturers are facing during the current AI revolution and the strategies for integrating artificial intelligence most effectively to generate value in a rapidly changing environment.

The session will conclude with the InterAutoNews Manager of the Year 2025 award ceremony, a recognition dedicated to managers who have distinguished themselves through their ability to lead change, innovate organizational models, and generate value in the automotive sector.

The automotive retail sector is becoming increasingly complex. Margin pressure is structural. In this context, a dealership’s level of Future Readiness becomes a decisive factor in ensuring long-term growth and sustainability.

It is therefore essential to focus on two fronts: on the one hand, the fundamentals of traditional business areas; on the other, the innovation levers that are reshaping operating models and the customer journey.

This special session is designed for dealers who want to analyse their business with a strategic and comparative perspective. The objective is to support the definition of priorities and action plans through benchmarks and insights.

The journey is guided by the Dealer Future Readiness project, an initiative by Quintegia. The project provides a reference framework to assess the preparedness of Italian dealerships in relation to the key transformations affecting the sector.

Alberto Bet from Quintegia, with the contribution of Quintegia’s Subject Matter Experts, will present a qualitative–quantitative framework enabling a structured and comparative evaluation of dealership readiness.

During the session, dealers who have participated in the Dealer Future Readiness project will be able to access their personalised feedback.

The automotive supply chain is undergoing a period of structural change that is redefining the relationship between OEMs, distribution networks, and brands. Growing entrepreneurial concentration, the entry of new players, and intensifying competitive pressure are pushing manufacturers and dealers to rethink operating models and collaboration methods along the entire value chain.

The session will open with an interview with Cristina Scocchia, CEO of illycaffè, who will offer a managerial perspective on the relaunch and transformation of established brands. Drawing on her experience leading international organizations, the discussion will explore key elements for redefining a brand's identity, innovating business models, and building effective relationships with stakeholders.

Starting from this managerial perspective, the discussion will then shift to the international automotive context, with a look at current trends in the United States, supported by the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA). The conversation with Rob Cochran, 2026 Chairman of NADA, will offer a firsthand perspective on how American dealers are navigating the current market uncertainty and what strategies they are adopting to strengthen their role in the supply chain.

The focus will then return to Europe, with Quintegia presenting data and benchmarks on the evolution of the sector: from the consolidation of distribution networks to new distribution models, the rebalancing of negotiating power between OEMs and dealers, and the growing expectations in terms of investment, skills, and performance.

The session will close with the DealerSTAT 2026 awards ceremony, recognizing dealers and networks that have distinguished themselves for the quality of their relationships with OEMs, their ability to adapt, and their entrepreneurial vision. This event celebrates not only the results achieved, but above all the ability to manage change in a structured and sustainable manner.

This session is designed to offer insightful tools, managerial inspiration, and concrete benchmarks, helping OEMs and dealers navigate an increasingly complex and fragmented market, yet one brimming with opportunities, and to guide the evolution of the supply chain with awareness and leadership, in the true spirit of "Lead with your Brand."

When product, price, and communication converge, the in-store experience becomes a decisive factor in differentiation. The point of sale is no longer just the place of transaction: it builds brand perception, trust, and relationship quality. The session explores how the in-store experience — both physical and digital — is shaping the future of automotive retail, combining scientific evidence, brand cases, and international insights.

At the opening, Quintegia presents a study based on neuroscientific methodologies that objectively measure the impact of the in-store experience on brand perception. Through BARTT – Brand Association Reaction Time Task, it will be highlighted how layout, interactions, sales rituals, and the quality of the environment trigger positive or negative implicit associations, often invisible to traditional metrics but decisive in customer choices.

Pierantonio Vianello from CUPRA and SEAT Italia will then bring the vision of a brand that has built growth and recognition on a coherent and immersive retail model, transforming the store into a place of brand expression.

The session will continue with an interview with Andrea Marcante from Renault Group, who will share the strategic direction and evolution of the customer experience that, especially in recent years, has been guiding the choices and positioning of the French group.

To conclude, the awards ceremony of the Automotive Digital Marketing Award contest. The initiative by AutoScout24 in collaboration with Quintegia recognizes and rewards the best managers and marketing and communication professionals from dealerships and retailers.

A session designed to provide insights, vision, and inspiration, showing how the retail experience is today a key lever for brand equity and competitiveness for all players in the sector.

Digital payments, embedded finance, and open banking are changing the buying experience and processes in automotive retail. We're not just talking about new payment methods: the financial infrastructure that supports conversion, trust, customer relationships, and operational efficiency is evolving.

Laura Grassi from Politecnico di Milano, talks about this theme, providing a clear map of the new digital payments landscape. A presentation designed to clarify how consumer expectations are changing and what opportunities and risks are emerging for OEMs and dealers in the European context.

Markos Zachariadis from the University of Manchester, will then provide an international comparative lecture, analyzing the evolution of regulation, payment infrastructures, and open finance models in the UK, the United States, and Asia. This is a useful presentation for anticipating the trajectories of the global market and understanding which models are likely to have an impact in Italy and Europe as well.

The session will conclude with an interview with Paul Metrey, Executive Vice President of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA). Drawing on his experience in financial services and regulatory dynamics affecting dealerships, he will share the dealer network's perspective on the latest regulatory and market developments in auto finance and the evolution of the automotive retail model.

A session designed to understand how digital payments can evolve from a support function to a strategic element to enhance customer experience, trust, and business growth.

Corporate fleet management is undergoing a profound reshaping. Regulatory pressures, ESG objectives, technological transformation, and new organizational responsibilities are expanding the fleet manager's decision-making scope, making them an increasingly central figure in corporate mobility strategies.

The session will open with the presentation of the Fleet Manager Canvas, the research conducted by Quintegia and illustrated by Oscar Scriva. The study offers an updated snapshot of fleet managers' perspectives on priorities, decision-making criteria, and expectations of service partners. This analysis is useful for understanding how decision-making processes are evolving and which levers are truly decisive today.

From this perspective, attention will shift to the professional role of the fleet manager. Laura Echino, President and Co-founder of A.I.A.G.A. – the Italian Association of Fleet Buyers and Managers – will delve into the evolution of the role in Italy and Europe, focusing on the key skills required today. The discussion will also highlight the differences in maturity between the Italian market and other European contexts, offering a comparative perspective on the level of structuring and recognition of the role.

The session will conclude with a forward-looking look at the energy transition. Ester Marchetti, Clean Transport Advocacy Manager at Transport & Environment, will analyze the main challenges that decarbonization poses to the fleet sector: climate targets, electrification, charging infrastructure, regulatory developments, and impacts on total operating costs.

This presentation is designed to connect fleet managers' operational choices to the regulatory and environmental scenarios that are redefining their responsibilities.

This session integrates data, professional representation, and policy vision, aiming to understand how fleet management is moving from an administrative function to a strategic lever for corporate transformation.

The energy transition represents a structural transformation that goes beyond the technological dimension, affecting geopolitics, supply chains, industrial policies, and automotive business models. For OEMs and dealers, understanding its dynamics means anticipating risks, opportunities, and strategic choices that will influence the market in the coming years.

It is therefore essential to have an integrated understanding of the new global energy balances and their impacts on European mobility, connecting the macro scenario with operational implications for networks. Greta Cristini, a journalist specialized in geopolitics, will provide a geopolitical analysis for the next 3–5 years: critical raw materials, new energy dependencies, international tensions, and direct consequences for the automotive industry and supply chain stability.

Simona Benedettini, CEO & Founder of RACE Consulting will then delve into the functioning of energy markets and the role of regulation, translating the geopolitical landscape into concrete economic mechanisms. Her presentation will focus specifically on energy costs, the functioning of electricity markets, infrastructure, and system flexibility, offering an understanding of the economic implications for the electrification of mobility.

A session designed to provide a clear and applicable framework: from the geopolitics of energy to the daily operational choices of OEMs and dealers, to interpret the transition not just as a constraint, but as a strategic area for repositioning and value creation.

After an initial phase of intense media exposure and widespread distribution, artificial intelligence and robotics are now entering a phase of greater maturity. From emerging technologies, they are becoming concrete tools to improve productivity, quality, and sustainability across the entire automotive supply chain, from industry to retail. The session proposes a pathway that connects strategic vision with operational application, showing how to bring technological innovation into organizations in a realistic, measurable, and sustainable way. An approach designed to reduce the gap between strategy and execution and to support OEMs and dealers in understanding where — and how — AI and automation can generate real value.

With a constant focus on innovation, the session will open with the Startup Generation Award, which will recognize the startup that stands out the most for impact, vision, and application potential, according to the judgment of the public and experts.

Following this, Fabio Moioli, one of Italy's most authoritative experts in artificial intelligence at an international level, will delve into how to integrate AI into business processes sustainably. His talk will focus on redesigning operational flows and building skills, offering a pragmatic contribution based on roadmaps, priorities, and concrete use cases, designed for managers and entrepreneurs.

The closing session, curated by Giovanni Di Stefano of Comau, focused on the human–machine collaboration will allow for an exploration of how physical automation and collaborative robotics are gradually entering mobility operational contexts. Through case studies and evolutionary scenarios, it will be shown how these technologies can improve efficiency, safety, and customer experience, surpassing the traditional imagination associated with robotics.

A session designed to provide interpretive tools, concrete examples, and operational inspiration, with a key message: AI is no longer a project to merely observe, but an already active development vector, essential for building skills, recognition, and competitive advantage in the medium to long term.

Saturated channels and declining average advertising performance shift the value from the lead to the relationship. CRM tools and loyalty programs have become strategic elements on which marketing must focus to strengthen the brand, increase retention, and support long-term profitability, particularly in the post-sales phase.

The session will analyze how the advanced activation of customer data and continuous contact can offset the decline in performance of traditional media, transforming the customer relationship into a stable value driver. This change requires new integration approaches between marketing, sales, and after-sales, as well as more mature data governance. Through strategic insights and operational experiences, the session demonstrates how CRM and loyalty programs can become high-impact investment areas, capable of improving engagement, loyalty, and customer value throughout the entire lifecycle. The focus will be on activation models, relevant metrics, and the ability to make the return of the relationship measurable.

Elisabetta Bruno will provide a perspective focused on models, indicators, and activation processes, highlighting how the most mature organizations are already rethinking roles, responsibilities, and objectives to move from loosely structured campaigns to genuine, ongoing, and meaningful relationships throughout the entire customer journey.

A session designed for those who want to build lasting value through data, relationships, and trust, in line with a market increasingly focused on customer lifetime value.

The light commercial vehicle market is currently one of the most dynamic segments in mobility. Fleet volumes are growing, urban logistics demands are intensifying, and the energy transition is accelerating the transformation of the product offering. In this context, LCVs have become the meeting point between companies’ operational needs and the industrial and distribution strategies of automotive brands.

For OEMs and dealers, this segment is not simply an extension of the passenger car business, but a field with its own distinct dynamics: different purchasing cycles, a strong focus on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), demand for specialized consultancy, and integration between sales, financial services, aftersales, and the ongoing management of relationships with business customers.

The session will open with a market overview designed to provide an in-depth reading of the LCV landscape, highlighting key trends, critical issues, and opportunities across the entire value chain, from manufacturers to the distribution network.

This will be followed by a dealer best practice case, illustrating how a structured organization can approach the LCV business from a strategic perspective, integrating sales, services, and fleet management to generate long-term value. A concrete example showing how dedicated expertise, distinctive processes, and a long-term vision can strengthen the dealer’s positioning as a trusted partner for businesses.

The session will conclude with the DealerSTAT LCV Award ceremony, Quintegia’s survey measuring dealer satisfaction in their relationship with OEMs within the LCV segment. This moment provides a snapshot of the brand–network relationship in a segment that is becoming increasingly important in terms of volume, profitability, and future development.

A session designed to explore how LCVs can evolve from a specialist segment into a strategic lever for positioning and growth, strengthening the dialogue between brands and dealer networks in a rapidly transforming market.