ICCF remembers engineer Francesco Merloni who passed away on 1 October in the affection of his family. The Honorary Chairman of Ariston Thermo Group was one of the founding members who contributed to the birth of the Italy China Foundation in 2003, the body that, integrating with the Italian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, gave birth in 2022 to the Italy China Council Foundation, whose Board of Directors still includes the Ariston company. A parliamentarian, minister and captain of industry, Cavaliere del Lavoro Francesco Merloni was one of the protagonists of the Italian industrial system, picking up his father's legacy in the family business, now in the hands of his son Paolo. Through his efforts, Merloni brought the Ariston brand to China, where he built factories and made his quality products known, distinguishing himself for his environmental commitment, much appreciated in the Asian country.