Bracco and its
“American dream”

For the Bracco family, the story of Bracco Diagnostics Incorporated represents the quintessential “American dream“. That dream began in 1994 with the acquisition of Squibb Diagnostics, one of the Group’s most significant milestones. Diana recounts, “I have a vivid memory of those days filled with anticipation and hope, and I’ll never forget the signing of the agreement and the historic article in the New York Times on August 2nd, 1994, which I still have today.”

With the upcoming 30th anniversary of BDI (in 2024), we can affirm that that dream is still alive. The results of that bold and somewhat daring decision are now evident. Today, the American market is Bracco’s most successful one worldwide. And North America has always represented the true frontier of innovation, creating opportunities of knowledge and advancement in every field. From any perspective, the gamble of the acquisition of a huge player like Squibb was a winning one. Fulvio Renoldi Bracco, Vice-President and CEO of Bracco Imaging, concluded his speech at BDI’s 20th anniversary by reaffirming Bracco’s confidence in the American dream. “There are moments in life, for a person as well as a company, when difficult choices must be made; those are the moments that measure our dreams and our abilities. We did not shy away, and if we’re still here that means that our dream is still alive. Thank you all.”

Bracco’s ties with the USA are also very strong culturally and can be seen in important philanthropic initiatives, both through the Group and the Foundation: from the La Scala Philharmonic tour in 2007 to the impressive exhibitions at the New York Metropolitan Museum and the National Gallery in Washington (Fra Carnevale in 2005, Bellini and Giorgione in 2006, Canaletto in 2011).

The feeling is certainly mutual: after having been named a member – the only Italian – of the NGA Trustees’ Council, in 2014 Diana Bracco received the NIAF Award (a prize from the Italian-American community in the United States) for the Bracco Foundation’s philanthropy projects. On that occasion, the president stated, “Having set our sights on the United States, addressing the challenge of the continuous dialogue with the FDA helped us reach these outcomes, pushing us to seek increasingly better quality and continually improve our products and manufacturing processes. Besides, I often say that this commitment, dedication and quest for excellence are what drive true entrepreneurs and scientists.”