Speakers

Investor and advisor to publicly traded companies

Ramin Arani serves on the Boards of public Companies Brunello Cucinelli, LiveOne, and FAST Acquisition Corp I & II.
Most recently Ramin has been a partner at &vest Capital since February 2022 and served as the Chief Financial Officer of Vice Media Group from November 2019 until the end of December 2021.
Prior to this Ramin was a Portfolio Manager at Fidelity Investments where he had worked since graduating from Tufts University with a BA in International Relations in 1992. Most recently Ramin was Fund Manager of the Fidelity Puritan Fund from February 2008 through September 2018 where the Fund achieved top 5% performance relative to Lipper and Morningstar Balanced Fund Peers over all key performance time periods. The Fund was a 5 star rated & Silver designated Fund according to Morningstar, under his management.
Prior to the Puritan Fund, Ramin managed the Fidelity Trend Fund for 7 years, the Health Care Sector Fund in the late 90’s, and the Retail Select Fund in the mid-late ‘90’s.
As a Fidelity research analyst from 1992-2000 Ramin covered the Aerospace & Defense, REIT, Retail, and Pharmaceutical industries.
As an investor in Private Companies for the past 13 years, Ramin has served on several Company Boards such as Legendary Pictures, Vice, Moda Operandi, Rent the Runway, Goop, and Emotion Network.
Ramin has also personally been a founding partner and/or Board member of Rumble Boxing, ED by Ellen Degeneres, and Girlgaze.
Among his philanthropic efforts, Ramin has served on the Boards of The College
Foundation of the University of Virginia, The Nichols School, the Institute for Global Leadership at Tufts University, Opportunity Network, Devereux Cleo Wallace, and national dog rescue Danny & Ron’s Rescue.
Ramin has three daughters: the oldest is a graduate from the University of Virginia; one is a graduate of Clemson University; and the youngest is currently attending University of Michigan.
Ramin is an avid snowboarder, rock climber, runner, tennis player and a fan of American Football (Buffalo Bills), International Football/Soccer, Tennis and live music.

Co-founder & CIO, Caracol

Giovanni Avallone is Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Caracol, a leading advanced manufacturing technology provider, working between industrial robotics and additive manufacturing. As CIO, he drives the company's technological development roadmap, forging strategic partnerships with technical partners, universities, and research centers worldwide. His work sits at the intersection of near-term product delivery and long-term innovation — finding the right balance between what the market needs today and where the technology needs to go tomorrow.
With a background in design and architecture from Politecnico di Milano and CEU San Pablo Madrid, Avallone brings deep expertise in digital fabrication, software development for industrial robotics and advanced manufacturing processes, and high-performance materials. Over the years, he has collaborated with leading academic institutions on projects that push the boundaries of what advanced manufacturing can achieve — translating cutting-edge research into concrete technological solutions for Caracol and its industrial partners. He is based in Milan.

CEO, Banijay Entertainment & Banijay Live

Marco Bassetti is CEO of Banijay Entertainment and Banijay Live, overseeing one of the world’s leading content powerhouses and the group’s live events business.
With an extensive premium catalogue that includes Survivor, Big Brother, Peaky Blinders, MasterChef, Let’s Play Ball, Rogue Heroes, Mr Bean, The Summit, the Culpa trilogy, Black Mirror, Deal or No Deal, House of Guinness and Shaolin Heroes, the combined operations operate across 25 territories globally with a diverse, multi-genre portfolio of 130+ production entities and a significant live events operation.
With a strong track-record in the international content business, the entrepreneur’s television career took off in the early 1980s, as an executive producer for Mondadori’s Rete Quattro, before moving to Mediaset.
In 1986, he founded his own production company, La Italiana Produzioni, and a few years later, he set up Aran.
Between 1994 and 1997, he was CEO of Pearson TV Italy and in December 1997, he started Endemol Italy, working as Managing Director and then President until May 2004, when he stepped down to dedicate more time to entrepreneurial activities in Italy and abroad.
Still remaining on Endemol’s International Board, in October 2007, he returned to the Group as COO and in August 2009, was appointed President before taking over the responsibility of Group CEO.
Stepping down in 2012, he then opened Ambra Multimedia before, in 2013, taking on the role of CEO at Banijay. It is under his leadership the collective businesses have grown to reach €3.3bn in revenues and €528m in EBITDA for the year ending 2024.

Founder & CEO, Lumina

Thomas Benski is an award-winning producer and entrepreneur, renowned for his innovative approach to developing creative talent and disrupting the media and content industries.
He is the Founder and CEO of Lumina, a well-capitalized global media and entertainment holding company backing category-defining talent, studios, and brands at the intersection of content, community, and consumer. Founded in 2024, with a footprint across the US, UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Lumina partners with visionary creatives to shift them from service to ownership, building platforms that drive long-term cultural and commercial value.
Lumina’s portfolio includes Carrousel Studios, launched with Omar Sy and Louis Leterrier; Wayward Films, in partnership with director Yann Demange; and Magna Studios, a creative studio led by former Pulse Films executives Marisa Clifford and Davud Karbassioun, operating across scripted, non-fiction, branded, and music content.
Beyond talent-led studios, Lumina invests in next-generation IP, culturally resonant consumer brands, and technology companies, including Strike, an IP-driven sports and kids & family brand; Perplexity, a leading AI company; Creators Corp, an award-winning video game studio and publisher; Hunza G, a globally scaled swimwear and lifestyle label; and a creator-first content and brand platform, soon to be announced.
Prior to Lumina, Benski built and successfully exited one of the most innovative global independent studios of the past decade, Pulse Films. Its slate included American Honey (Cannes Jury Prize), Gangs of London (BAFTA-winning), Beastie Boys Story (Emmy-nominated), and No Distance Left to Run (Grammy-nominated), alongside groundbreaking work in branded entertainment and music.
Guided by a belief in the power of creativity, brand building, and value of ownership, Benski continues to shape the future of entertainment by championing voices that challenge convention, building lasting cultural impact, and supporting the next generation of creative entrepreneurs through mentorship and nonprofit initiatives.

Étoile, Teatro alla Scala

Trained at the School of Teatro Alla Scala in Milan, where he has been Étoile since 2004, Roberto Bolle has performed in the world’s most prestigious theatres and with the most renowned companies.
In 2009, he was appointed Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, becoming a full member of the company’s regular season for 10 years—an honor never before granted to any other Italian dancer. His Gala Roberto Bolle and Friends has, for 25 years, drawn tens of thousands of spectators to the most important squares and theatres across Italy and around the world.
He has taken part in film and television projects, many of which he personally conceived, such as Questa notte mi ha aperto gli occhi; Danza con me, broadcast from 2018 to 2023 on national Italian television; and Viva la Danza, in 2024 and 2025 to celebrate International Dance Day- each earning both critical and popular acclaim. He has served as Ambassador for several of the most prestigious Italian brands, has received numerous awards, and has been bestowed with some of the highest national and international honors.
He has been a UNICEF Ambassador since 1999, and in 2014 he received the UNESCO Gold Medal in recognition of the universal cultural value of his artistic achievements.In September 2018, he was appointed Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by the President of Italy, and in May 2021, he was promoted to the rank of Grand Officer.
He has collaborated with renowned artists such as Bob Wilson, Peter Greenaway, Annie Leibovitz, and Bruce Weber. In May 2025 he brings for the first time ever in Italy the ballet “Caravaggio” by choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti. In the same year, he is given the title of “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et de Lettres by the French Republic”, and receives an honorary master's degree from the University of Florence in "Practices, Languages, and Cultures of Communication."
He is also the creator and artistic director of the dance festival OnDance, which will celebrate its 9th edition in Milan in 2026. Through an extensive program of workshops, open classes, flash mobs, and performances, the festival transforms the entire city into a celebration of dance.

Rector, University of Milan

Marina Brambilla, full professor of German Linguistics, is the Rector of the State University of Milan, starting from 1 October 2024 and until 30 September 2030. She is Full Professor of German Language and Linguistics at the Department of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Mediations.
She graduated in Foreign Languages and Literatures from IULM University and obtained her PhD in German Language and Literature from the University of Pavia. From 2018 to 2024, she served as Vice-Rector for Planning and the Organization of Student Services, Teaching, and Staff. She also chaired the University Language Centre (SLAM) and the University Observatory for the Right to Education, which she helped establish.
She is Coordinator of the Right to Education Commission within the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI), and serves on the Boards of Directors of Fondazione Lombardia per l’Ambiente, Fondazione Feltrinelli, Fondazione Triulza, the Mario Negri Institute, MUSA Scarl, Fondazione Oncologia Niguarda Onlus, and Fondazione Tronchetti Provera.

Professor of Virology and Microbiology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan

Roberto Burioni is Full Professor of Microbiology and Virology at San Raffaele University in Milan, where he directs a laboratory dedicated to the development of human monoclonal antibodies and advanced molecular diagnostics. A physician, PhD holder and specialist in Clinical Immunology, he conducted research activities in the United States at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California at San Diego and the Scripps Research Institute.
Alongside his scientific and academic work, he is deeply involved in science communication. He is the author of numerous books, a columnist for the Italian newspaper la Repubblica, and since 2020 has regularly appeared on the television program Che tempo che fa hosted by Fabio Fazio.
He also authors one of the most widely followed Italian scientific newsletters on the Substack platform. In 2025, the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, awarded him the Bronze Medal for Merit in Public Health.

Founder and Chair, EuroStack Foundation

Dr Cristina Caffarra is a globally renowned competition expert who had a 25-year career as a leading economic consultant. She headed for 17 years (between 2006 and 2022) the Competition Team of Charles River Associates (CRA) in Europe. She then set up Keystone Europe as Managing Partner in July 2022, which she left in 2023.
She co-founded the EuroStack movement in 2024 and is she is co-founder and Chair of the EuroStack Initiative Foundation e.V., a non-profit organization to pursue European resilience and asset-building in European tech and digital.
She is recognised as a thought leader in antitrust enforcement, regulation, tech policy, the interface between tech, competition, industrial policy and trade. She is sought after as a public speaker and /regularly keynotes at top events on competition, regulation, digital and industrial policy. She is also a convener with the ability to gather senior agency, policy and academic speakers for the most high-profile policy events in Europe on tech and related economic policy. She hosts and produces the Eacape Forward podcast, and her Annual Escape Forward Brussels Conference is the highest-profile event on economic and regulatory policy in Europe. She has written multiple contributions to the field of competition and regulation of digital markets, lectures in competition economics. She is an Honorary Professor at UCL, she is also Associate Fellow of the Centre for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) in London and Deputy Chair of the CEPR Competition Research Policy Network. She is also a 2026 Fellow at DG Grow.

Professor and Senior Fellow for Global Health, Johns Hopkins University SAIS Europe
Professor Ilaria Capua, DVM, MS, PhD, is Senior Fellow of Global Health at Johns Hopkins University, SAIS Europe. An internationally renowned virologist, she has led diagnostic and research laboratories on zoonotic and emerging viruses both in Italy and abroad. In 2006, she promoted the global sharing of viral genetic sequences for pandemic preparedness, an initiative that was covered by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, as well as by the scientific press including Science and Nature.
She has collaborated with WHO, FAO, OIE, CDC, ECDC and coordinated international research projects. She is the author of over 240 publications in international journals, a member of the European Academy of Sciences, and a member of two Lancet Commissions. She is the inventor of the concept of Circular Health, a convergence model that promotes health and sustainability.
She served as a Member of the Italian Parliament (2013-2016) and has received international awards, including the Penn Vet World Leadership Award, the Scientific American 50 award, and the Hypatia Prize from the European Academy of Sciences.
She is an essayist and columnist for Corriere della Sera and has published over 10 popular science books for the public, young adults and children, some of which have been translated into the main European languages. She is an advocate for leadership and for the empowerment of women.

Journalist, Sky TG24

Vice Chairman of EMEA, General Atlantic

Vittorio Colao is Vice Chairman EMEA and Board member of Growth Equity investor General Atlantic, working with European Technology and Consumer companies. He is a non-Executive Director of Verizon in the US and an Executive Trustee of Bocconi University in Milan. From 2015 until early 2021 he chaired the Remuneration Committee of Unilever PLC.
Vittorio has been Minister for Technology Innovation and Digital transition and Delegate authority for Space for the Italian Government with PM Draghi in 2021-22, where he led the growth of inclusive and efficient digital services across Italy. In 2024 Vittorio contributed to the Draghi Report ‘The Future of Competitiveness in Europe’.
In 2020 he chaired the Italy’s Post Covid recovery committee for Prime Minister Conte.
Vittorio has been the CEO of Vodafone Group from 2008 to 2018, where he led the business's significant growth into one of the largest telecommunications groups globally. He has also been CEO of RCS Media Group in Italy between 2004 and 2006. During his tenure he served as Vice-Chairman of the European Roundtable until 2018. In his early career he served as NED on the Boards of Finmeccanica (Leonardo) and RAS (Allianz Italy) and as advisor to McKinsey&Co and Harvard Business School.
In 2014 Vittorio was awarded Italy’s Knighthood of the Order of Labor and in 2021 the Grand Ufficiale honor by two Presidents of Italy. Vittorio has been a 2015 UN “He4She” champion and the 2015 FT “HERos” top nominee.
A Carabinieri Lieutenant trained at the Mountain Troops Military School in Italy, Vittorio is a graduate of Bocconi University and holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School. In 2024 he received an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Law, at Bath University. In 2025 he received the Alumni Achievement Award at Harvard Business School.

Founder and Investor, Felix Capital

Frederic Court is Founder and Investor at Felix Capital, a venture capital firm for the Creative Class, managing over $1.2B of venture and growth capital. Based in London, Felix operates at the intersection of technology and creativity, with an investment focus in Europe and North America. Felix Capital’s mission is to be a partner of choice for the best founders - creative innovators empowering new ways of living and working, in both the Consumer and B2B sectors.
Illustrative investments for Felix Capital include: Farfetch, an online global fashion marketplace, exited via IPO and fully realised in 2019; Moonbug, a media platform for kids entertainment including “Cocomelon” and “Blippi”; Perk, a corporate travel platform leveraging AI; Mirakl, a SaaS platform for marketplaces; and Voy, a leading UK-based digital health-tech platform.
Frederic founded Felix in 2015 and has worked in the technology industry for over 20 years. Prior to Felix, he was an entrepreneur and a General Partner at Advent Venture Partners. Since 2017, Frederic has been selected for the Forbes' Midas List Europe multiple times. In 2023, Felix Capital was named “VC Firm of the Year” at the GP Bullhound All Star Awards in the UK, and became one of the first venture capital firms in Europe to become a certified B Corp.

Journalist, Corriere della Sera

Executive Vice President, Sky Italia

Founder & Managing Partner, The Techshop SGR

Andrea De Micheli has created thousands of projects, ranging from events to commercials, for more than two hundred major brands across around thirty countries, winning nearly one hundred awards in Italy and abroad. He has also produced short films and documentaries that have received several Nastri d’Argento awards.
He produces approximately three hundred concerts each year at Blue Note in Milan and other venues. He has worked with Oscar winners such as Nestor Almendros, Dante Ferretti, Stu Hagmann, Gabriele Salvatores, Martin Scorsese, Paolo Sorrentino and Giuseppe Tornatore, as well as many other renowned talents. He founded and leads Casta Diva Group, an international network of communication companies present across four continents with thirteen offices, which has become a leader in Italy in both live communication and commercial production. He is also the author of La Fabbrica degli spot, published by Lupetti, with a foreword by Spike Lee.

Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer, Lexroom

Martina Domenicali is the Milan-based co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Lexroom, the legal tech startup redefining how lawyers work through artificial intelligence. Recognized by Forbes Italia in the 30 Under 30 2024 list, Martina previously founded Outcity and built a community of over 100,000 on social media, where she advocates for mental health awareness.
She holds a law degree (summa cum laude) from the University of Bologna and an LL.M. in Law and Technology and Intellectual Property from King's College London.
She met her co-founders at Vento, Exor's venture builder. Today, she leads strategic partnerships with top European law firms, transforming AI adoption in the legal sector from challenge to opportunity.

CFO & Co-Founder, Alps

Co-founder of Alps, a company established in Trento and active in the development and management of highly efficient infrastructure and data centers for the production of computing power dedicated to blockchain and AI, ranking among the top 10 companies globally in the sector.
As CFO, she oversees financial planning, funding and investment strategies, and manages relationships with leading investors and financial institutions, including Azimut. She has guided the company’s growth from its early stages to an international scale, developing an industrial model that integrates physical infrastructure, renewable energy sources, and energy efficiency, with a strong focus on circular economy principles.
Alps now operates on a global scale, with facilities and partnerships in Oman, North America, and South America, engaging with diverse markets and energy systems. Throughout her career, she has developed a strategic perspective on capital flows toward environments that combine industrial vision, energy stability, and technical expertise.

Co-founder & Board member, Emotion Network

With over 15 years of experience in consulting for top-level executives, Karin Fischer has worked for public, private, and third-sector companies, helping them refine their strategic communication, engage stakeholders on key issues, develop organizational strategies in international contexts, and digitize their processes. She collaborates with various partners on end-to-end projects, always maintaining her professional independence.
Innovation drives her to explore every area. Notably, she has been a pioneer in the field of sustainable mobility, leading a global multi-stakeholder platform and contributing to shaping the future of electric mobility through the founding of a startup dedicated to developing cutting-edge charging infrastructure.
But her experiences are not limited to the business world. Karin Fischer has also leveraged her expertise in political and civic communication, served as a consultant in universities, and managed sponsorships in the equestrian sports sector, her great passion.
In 2018, she launched the brand "Connecting Stories," a name that embodies her personal mission: to connect stories and ideas, create bridges between different sectors, and combine concepts in innovative ways.
Living in the hills above Lake Garda, Karin has embraced remote working from its inception, allowing her to share her everyday life with her children, her beloved pets, and, of course, her cherished horses.

Olympic Short Track Champion

Arianna Fontana is a true legend of Italian sport and a symbol of absolute excellence. With 14 Olympic medals won across six editions of the Games, she has become the most decorated Italian athlete in Olympic history. An icon of short track speed skating, she has redefined the boundaries of the discipline, standing out as one of the fastest, most complete, and longest-lasting skaters of all time, with 18 World Championship medals and 45 European medals. Her career is an extraordinary race against time and against every limit, one that has seen her dominate ice tracks around the world with determination, talent, and an exceptional winning mindset.
Today, her journey represents a benchmark for both Italian and international sport: an example of consistency, resilience, and competitive greatness that spans generations and sets new standards of Olympic excellence.
"I like challenges. If someone tells me I can't do something, I take it personally—and then I show them how it's done."

Co-founder & Chief Creative Officer, Artolution

Max Frieder is the Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of the international community-based public arts education organization Artolution.
He is a public artist and community arts educator from Denver, Colorado who is based out of Brooklyn, New York. His work ranges from community building in refugee camps, art education in emergencies, supporting local resilience building, social cohesion and conflict resolution. He is a trans-disciplinary artist, sculptor, muralist, educator, researcher and facilitates collaborative mural programs that address critical local issues with children, youth and families.
He has worked with hundreds of communities in different contexts across the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Europe, North America and Asia. He created the “Foundstrument Soundstrument Project”, building large-scale interactive percussive sculptures out of trash and recycled materials around the world. He graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with honors and a degree in Painting and received his Education Masters (Ed.M) in “Community Arts” in Art and Art Education from the Teachers College, Columbia University where he published a five-year body of research through his Education Doctorate (Ed.D) titled “ The Rohingya Artolution: Teaching Locally Led Community-based Public Art Educators in the Largest Refugee Camp in History”. His projects have taken him from Syrian, South Sudanese, Palestinian, and Greek refugee camps to conflict zones, traumatized communities, and across borders to over 26 countries globally.
He has received recognition from the New York Times, CBS, NBC, Forbes and the Associated Press. He planted the seed for the first ongoing public arts program for Rohingya artists in the largest refugee camp in the world, in Bangladesh on the border of Myanmar.
He is a published author contributing to “Art Making with Refugees and Survivors: Transformative Responses to Trauma after Natural Disasters, War and Other Crises”,as well as publishing with Global Citizen. For his global work, he was awarded the International Crisis Award from UNICEF and the World of Children and in 2018.
He has curated retrospective exhibitions of Global Refugee Art Works in the World Trade Center, UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, COP27, the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and the UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva. He has cultivated global partnerships with UNHCR, UNICEF, IOM, UNFPA, US State Department, IFRC, NRC, GIZ, NBC, UNIQLO, Gucci, Christie’s, the World Economic Forum and many more. His ranging work focuses on cultivating ongoing programs by educating local artists globally on how to transform communities through public engagement, creative facilitation and inspired participation as the next phase in the history of the arts.

Crisis Strategist, Peace and Security Expert

Donata Garrasi is a political scientist and trained negotiator, with 30 years of experience driving high-stakes diplomacy, crisis response, and peacebuilding initiatives in some of the world’s most complex environments.
She currently works with the United Nations, International Conflict and Security Consulting (INCAS), and technology and finance partners to develop models and tech and financial solutions that align investment and innovation with peace and stability outcomes.
Previously, she held executive-level positions with Peaceinvest, the World Bank, the OECD, and the UK Government, leading major peace and security operations in high-risk environments.
She holds a master’s degree in political science and international relations from the University of Florence. She has pursued executive education at the Yale School of Management and is trained in strategic negotiations in high-stakes armed conflict settings.

Co-founder & Executive Chairman, Code and Theory Network

Dan Gardner is co-founder and executive chairman of the technology-first network Code and Theory. He’s built Code and Theory into the only network with a balance of 50% creative and 50% engineers, and nearly 2,000 employees across the globe.
Code and Theory is a trusted, strategic partner to the biggest brands in the world, including Microsoft, Amazon, Google, NBC, and JPMorganChase. Some of the most innovative and inspiring work of the last two decades can be credited to Gardner and the Code and Theory team; from designing CNN’s Magic Wall to launching the Daily Beast to the rebranding of the Washington Commanders.
Gardner founded Code and Theory 24 years ago. Since then he has become a trusted voice at the intersection of digital transformation, emerging tech, and AI. Insider named him “One of the top execs leading the AI charge.” He has lectured about AI at Davos, Web Summit, Cannes Lions and other global stages. Gardner has been featured in prestigious outlets such as Forbes, Fast Company and Marketwatch.
His efforts have been recognized in global awards shows, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, The Webby Awards and the Effie Awards. He is co-founder of ON_Discourse, a new membership media company focused on the business of technology, prioritizing expert-driven discourse to drive perspectives. And, Gardner is a frequent columnist who is regularly quoted in the press about all things tech and AI.

President Nasdaq Stockholm & Head of European Listings & Capital Markets, Nasdaq

Adam Kostyál serves as President of Nasdaq Stockholm and Head of European Listings & Capital Markets, bringing close to two decades of leadership experience within Nasdaq.
In this capacity, he oversees the entire European listings ecosystem, covering the markets in Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Helsinki, as well as the Baltic and Icelandic exchanges.
He remains deeply engaged in promoting the growth, visibility, and long‑term competitiveness of European capital markets.
His career at Nasdaq has included several senior leadership roles, building on earlier professional experience at Cell Network, Bloomberg, and Enron.
He holds a B.A. in Economics and Marketing from Vrije Universiteit in Brussels and is fluent in English, Swedish, Italian, and French. Beyond his professional responsibilities, he is the proud father of five children.

Former U.S. Ambassador; now President of Annenberg Foundation Trust

David Lane is president of The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands. Before that, from May 2012 until August 2016, he served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies in Rome, promoting policy reforms in the areas of food security and development.
Prior to his service in Rome, Ambassador Lane worked in the Obama administration as assistant to the president and counselor to the White House chief of staff. From 2007 until 2011, he was president and chief executive officer of the ONE Campaign, a global advocacy organization focused on extreme poverty. From 2001 to 2007, Lane directed the East Coast office of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In the 1990s, Ambassador Lane held several appointments in the Clinton administration, including executive director of the White House National Economic Council.
Lane earned his Bachelor degree from the University of Virginia and a Master of Public Affairs from Princeton University.

CEO, ZNEXT

Elena Lavezzi leads ZNEXT, one of the few women in Italy at the helm of an industrial innovation initiative of this scale.
She helped launch Uber in Italy during the early days of the sharing economy in the country, then held leadership roles at two other unicorns, Circle and Revolut, where she ran Southern Europe operations, building markets in fintech while the sector was still defining its rules. Before ZNEXT, she was Group Chief Strategy Officer at Kuda, an African fintech.
Three continents, three sectors, three markets built before they became obvious. At ZNEXT, that same ability to read ahead becomes the criterion for selecting, building, and scaling the companies she backs.
She is also Venture Partner at Eurazeo, advisor and mentor to several venture capital funds, and limited partner in Project Europe.

Founder and CEO, Kurioscity; former Managing Director, Disney/ABC; Trustee, Aspen Institute

Keli Lee finds the gaps between markets, builds the infrastructure, and captures the value. Over two decades at The Walt Disney Company, she most recently served as founding Managing Director of Disney/ABC Studios International, where she built a global content and production business across the UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Prior to that role, she led casting and talent operations for ABC and Disney, and founded Disney/ABC Discovers, a pioneering program for underrepresented creative talent that launched the careers of Pedro Pascal, Lupita Nyong'o, and the late Chadwick Boseman, among others.
She is the founder and CEO of Kurioscity, a curated brand, editorial, and technology platform across culture, wellness, lifestyle, travel, and intelligence. She is also a board director and investor in growth-stage companies in consumer brands, wellness, media, and innovation. She is a Trustee of the Aspen Institute and a Henry Crown Fellow, a former co-owner of Chicago Stars FC in the NWSL, with U.S. Women's National Team players who won Olympic Gold at Paris 2024 and the 2019 FIFA World Cup, and an inventor with four provisional patents in biological thermal management of infrastructure using living organisms.
Born in Korea and raised in the United States, she has lived in five countries across three continents and traveled to more than 100, and currently divides her time between Austin, New York, London, and Seoul.

CEO and General Manager, CDP Venture Capital

CEO and General Manager of CDP Venture Capital since May 2025.
After earning a degree in Business Economics in Turin and completing a Corporate Finance program at the London Business School, Emanuele Levi began his career in 1993 at the Credito Italiano Group, first in London and later in Milan.
In 1996, he moved to Bain & Company and then to Lazard Investment Banking in Milan.
Since 2000, he has focused on venture capital, initially at Pino Venture and later at 360 Capital, where he served as General Partner until 2025.

Vice President of EMEA Marketing, Tinder

Paolo Lorenzoni currently serves as Vice President of EMEA Marketing at Tinder, where he translates the company’s global goals into regional strategies and oversees country teams across key markets, including Germany, France, Spain and the UK.
Prior to joining Tinder, Paolo was part of Netflix’s original Global Marketing and EMEA leadership team based in Amsterdam, later moving to Rome to open the local office as Country Director of Marketing for Italy and Greece. Earlier in his career at Sky, he served as Managing Director of the OTT and New Media business, where he launched NOW TV and Roku in Italy.
He also held the role of Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Digital Activities at Discovery Networks.
Previously, Paolo created the first social media department at Sky Italia and was a member of the NewsCorp Digital Leaders Collective, the international team led by James Murdoch. He began his career at Current TV, later Al Jazeera America, serving as Marketing Director in Italy and then as Commercial & Marketing Director in London, where he also managed corporate public relations for President Al Gore.
With more than 15 years of international experience in direct-to-consumer businesses across technology, media, and entertainment, Paolo has built a career leading growth and innovation for global brands.
Based in Dublin, he continues to drive impact across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Journalist and Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Corriere della Sera

Daniele Manca graduated from the DAMS (Disciplines of Art, Music, and Entertainment) at the University of Bologna and was an Inaugural Fellow of the prestigious Sulzberger program at Columbia University School of Journalism, a course that has trained and continues to train leaders of the world’s most respected journalistic organizations.
He has worked at major Italian newspapers and magazines, from Mondo Economico to Panorama, from Italia Oggi to Il Giorno. Since 1994, he has been at Corriere della Sera, where he started as an editor and now holds the position of deputy director, as well as columnist and head of the economics and innovation section.
Over the years, Manca has covered the crucial moments of Italian economics and politics—from the stock market boom in 1986 to the Mani Pulite affairs, from the introduction of the euro to the rescue of Fiat. He has closely followed treaties and crises, from Maastricht to Lisbon, from the financial storm of 2008 to the emergence of the governments led by Monti, Letta, Renzi, Gentiloni, Conte I, Conte II, Draghi, and finally Meloni.
He was among the promoters of the digital transformation of Corriere della Sera. As a professor at the Walter Tobagi School of Journalism at the University of Milan, he shared his experience with students in the "Journalism in the Digital Age" course.
Daniele Manca is also the strategic director and a member of the Scientific Committee of the School of Journalism at IULM University. Furthermore, he is part of the Scientific Committee of Fuori Quota and the Scientific Committee of 100Esperte in the Economics and Finance area. His commitment has made him a Media Ambassador for ENWE (European Network for Women Excellence) and a member of the Steering Committee of the Osservatorio Banca e Impresa 2030.

Co-founder and Chief External Affairs Officer, Proxima Fusion

Lucio Milanese is co-founder and Chief External Affairs Officer at Proxima Fusion, one of Europe’s fastest-growing nuclear fusion start-ups, and is actively involved in a model that could reshape the global energy future.
Proxima Fusion, founded in 2023, is focused on developing the stellarator, considered the most promising path towards a commercially viable fusion power plant. Proxima has now raised around €200 million in total funding and aims to bring fusion to the grid by 2030.
In 2025, he joined the Board of the Fusion Industry Association.
Before co-founding Proxima, he served as a Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company, where he worked with leading private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds and companies on strategic analyses of nuclear fusion and due diligence activities.
Milanese studied physics at Imperial College London, before furthering his training through research placements at the California Institute of Technology and EPFL, prior to joining the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2016, where he became a member of the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering and the Plasma Science and Fusion Centre. At MIT, he obtained a PhD in theoretical plasma physics, during which he identified a new mechanism that helped lay the foundations for a general theory of turbulence in plasmas, with significant implications for understanding the solar wind and the solar corona.
Between 2021 and 2022, Milanese further enhanced his profile as a Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University in Beijing, where he obtained a Master’s degree in Global Affairs.

Corporate Communication Assistant, Casta Diva Group; Head of Communication, agenZy

Martina Monterisi was born in 2000. She graduated in Corporate Communication and Public Relations from IULM University, and later completed a Master’s degree in Event Management at IED in Milan.
Before starting her journey at Casta Diva, she gained initial experience as a social media manager. She has been part of the Casta Diva team since 2023; since 2024 she has coordinated the initiatives of Gen Z Pact, and since 2025 she has been Head of Communication at agenZy, a new strategic communication agency that connects companies with the Generation Z audience.

Italian Senator for life; former Prime Minister

Senator for life of the Italian Republic, President of Istituto Javotte Bocconi, Honorary President of the Institute for European Policymaking @ Bocconi University.
He was President of Bocconi University (1994-2022; on leave while he was European Commissioner and Prime Minister).
In November 2011, with Italy close to default, President Napolitano asked him to form a government of national unity, taking the positions of Prime Minister (2011-2013) and Minister of Economy and Finance (2011-2012). With cross-party support, his government overcame the financial crisis, initiated structural reforms, and obtained vital improvements in Euro-area governance. After months of negotiations under Italy’s pressure, in June 2012 Germany agreed to a Euro-Summit position in favor of stabilization interventions, allowing the European Central Bank to pursue desired changes in monetary policy.
Member of the European Commission (1995-2004): Commissioner for the Single Market (1995-1999) and for Competition (1999-2004), promoting European market integration and initial steps towards tax coordination. Imposed sanctions in famous cases of abuse of dominance (e.g., Microsoft), anticompetitive mergers (e.g., GE/Honeywell), and illegal state aids (e.g., German government’s guarantees to public banks).
He wrote the essay Demagony – Where the Politics of Illusions Leads (Solferino, 2024).
Member or chair of several advisory commissions in Italy (e.g., Monti Commission on Banking and Financial Reform, 1982), the UK (Roll Committee on the Independence of the Bank of England, 2003), and France (Attali Commission on Economic Growth, 2007). Produced the Report on a New Strategy for the Single Market (2010) for the President of the European Commission. Chaired the group that released the report on The Future of EU Finances and Own Resources (2017).
Member of the Institut de France (Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques) since 2014. Chair of the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development (2020-2021) and currently member of the Lancet Commission on 21st Century Global Health Threats.
Founded and chaired IGIER at Bocconi with CEPR and NBER (1990), and the think tank Bruegel (2005).
Born in Varese, Italy, in 1943. Graduated from Bocconi University and pursued postgraduate studies at Yale University. Professor of Economics at: University of Trento, University of Turin, and then at Bocconi University, where he served as Rector (1989-1994).

Founder & CEO, Emotion Network

After graduating with honors in Business Economics from Bocconi University, Mattia Mor began his career in strategic consulting, working with top-tier firms like Value Partners and Bain & Company, specializing in the fashion industry.
Mor founded his first company in 2004 while still at university. Named Blomor, it was a streetwear brand that many will remember for its T-shirts printed with the names and recipes of cocktails. The idea for Blomor actually originated earlier, when he was still in high school.
In 2007, Mor decided to leave his job as an employee to dedicate himself entirely to Blomor, eventually selling his designs in over 30 countries and in more than 900 stores.
In 2015, he moved to Singapore to work as Senior Vice President for Lazada, a Southeast Asian e-commerce company, which was later acquired by Alibaba Group in 2016. Returning to Italy at the end of 2016, Mor became the Executive Director for Europe of Mei.com, Alibaba's luxury online flash sales platform, specializing in high-level products in fashion, design, and cosmetics.
In 2017, he launched the social communication project “HoSceltoMilano / HoSceltoItalia” with the aim of reawakening civic passion and patriotic sentiment towards Italy, and particularly towards the city of Milan. The following year, he was elected to the Italian Parliament as a Deputy.
During his parliamentary tenure from 2018 to 2022, he authored a bill named 'StartAct', designed to allow Italy to close the gap in private investments in startups and Venture Capital, thereby enhancing companies' ability to innovate, create jobs, and grow, as well as encouraging Italians to return to their homeland.
In 2020, together with Karin Fischer, Massimo Redaelli, Alec Ross, Claude Finckenberg, Thomas Schneider, and Gianluca D'Agostino, Mattia Mor founded Emotion Network, an Italian edtech & media company that aims to put human beings and their emotions at the center of development, believing in the power of storytelling to strengthen human potential and produce "Great stories to inspire, educate, and entertain." TechEmotion.com is a project by Emotion Network.

Founder and Executive Chairman, Angel Capital Management

Since 1996, Angelo Moratti has been involved in venture capital investments. It was in this year that he entered the startup world by founding ePlanet, a telecommunications company. The rapid growth of the company led to its IPO in 2000, making ePlanet the first New Economy company in Italy to have a 'fully funded project.'
Moratti continued his entrepreneurial journey by founding Sarlux, a company that built and managed a power plant, thus demonstrating his capability to tackle even the most complex challenges in the energy sector.
The following years were entirely devoted to the financial sector, with the creation of ACM (Angel Capital Management), a private investment company and family office. ACM is also the majority shareholder of Milano Investment Partners SGR, a company that manages Alternative Investment Funds. This initiative stands out for its goal of providing not only capital to visionary young entrepreneurs but also support through every phase of their project development.
Angelo Moratti is also known for his activities in philanthropy and patronage. His role as vice president and member of the executive committee of Special Olympics International showcases his spirit and commitment to paving the way for those who are often left behind. He has also led the Associazione Amici del Centro Dino Ferrari, focused on scientific research towards finding a cure for problems arising from neurological diseases.

Founder & CEO, Three Hills

Mauro Moretti is the Founder and CEO of Three Hills, of which he chairs the Investment Advisory Committee.
Prior to establishing the company Mauro was a Partner at Hutton Collins where he worked on several investments. Earlier in his career he worked at BC Partners, both in Milan and London and the M&A division of J.P. Morgan.
Mauro is also the Founder and Chairman of the Nice To Meet You Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, focused on promoting education through scholarships, research and projects, to guarantee the same opportunities for everyone and enhance their possibilities for change.
Mauro graduated cum laude in Business Administration from Bocconi University and completed his Master in Finance at Copenhagen Business School. He speaks Italian and English.

Co-founder & CEO, Jet HR

He holds a degree in International Management with a Double Degree from Bocconi University in Milan and Fudan University in Shanghai. After a stint at McKinsey, he joined Zalora Group, a luxury marketplace, serving as Managing Director for Taiwan and Indonesia. Upon returning to Italy, in 2015 he co-founded ProntoPro alongside his wife Silvia Wang — a platform connecting clients with professionals — which he led until 2021, when he oversaw its merger with Turkish company Armut, growing it to over 5 million customers and nearly 700,000 professionals registered on the platform, before making his exit from the company.
Having experienced firsthand, as an entrepreneur, the enormous challenges of managing HR bureaucracy — and recognizing the potential of technology — in December 2022 he decided to tackle the problem and co-founded Jet HR together with Francesco Scalambrino.
The company aims to eliminate bureaucratic complexity by developing a model and related technology platform for HR management, breaking down all organizational and comprehension barriers by simplifying and automating the administrative processes of SMEs, as well as startups and established companies, ranging from 1 to hundreds of employees. The project immediately won over VCs and some of Italy's most successful innovators: in just 6 months, the company attracted €4.7 million in investment, closing in June 2023 the highest pre-seed round ever recorded in the Italian market and immediately launching operations. After one year on the market, Jet HR closed a new seed round of €12M with the entry of its first international VC, Picus Capital. In June 2025, a further €25M round led by US-based VC BASE10 brought total funding to €41.7M. Spanning SMEs, startups, multinationals, and listed companies, Jet HR already counts 1,500 client companies — a number that continues to grow — that have chosen the Jet HR solution.

Entrepreneur, manager, banker, former Minister

Corrado Passera is an Italian entrepreneur, manager and banker, and a former Minister, with extensive leadership experience in both the private and public sectors.
He began his career at McKinsey & Co. in 1980, focusing on the restructuring of financial institutions and service companies across Europe. In 1985, he joined CIR (De Benedetti Group), becoming General Manager and later CEO of L'Espresso-Repubblica, which he successfully led to a stock market listing.
In 1992, he became co-CEO of Olivetti, driving its transition from IT to telecommunications and contributing to the creation of Omnitel, Infostrada and Italia On Line.
In 1996, as CEO of Banco Ambroveneto, he strengthened its profitability and led its merger with Cariplo, giving rise to Banca Intesa.
From 1998 to 2002, he led the turnaround of the company, restoring it to profitability through a deep operational and innovative transformation.
He later became CEO of Intesa and in 2006 led the merger with Sanpaolo IMI, creating one of Europe's leading banking groups.
In 2011, he served as Minister of Economic Development, Infrastructure and Transport in the Monti government.
In 2018, he founded illimity, a technology-driven bank focused on SMEs, serving as CEO until September 2025, when it was acquired by Banca IFIS.
Since 2018, he has chaired the Fondazione Accademia Internazionale di Imola “Incontri col Maestro” ETS, one of the most prestigious academies for advanced music training. As of April 2026, Passera is a member of the Board of Directors of MPS – Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena.
Passera has served on numerous boards of directors and advisory boards, including Finmeccanica (now Leonardo), Crédit Agricole, the Executive Committee of the Italian Banking Association, the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council, McKinsey’s International Advisory Council, Bocconi University, La Scala Theatre, the International Institute of Finance, the Wharton School Advisory Board and Assonime (Vice Chairman).
In 2010, he co-founded Encyclomedia Publishers with Umberto Eco, creating the first digital history of European civilization, also presented at the United Nations in New York.
He holds a degree in Business Administration from Bocconi University and an MBA from the Wharton School.

Co-founder and CEO, WSense

Chiara Petrioli is Co-Founder and CEO of WSense, a deep-tech company spin-off of La Sapienza University of Rome which has pioneered and is leading the Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT) revolution.
Backed by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and European large funds, WSense now employs more than 65 people across Italy, Norway, the UK, France, and the UAE, and is a leader in subsea networks, in-situ monitoring systems, and the standardization of wireless networks for defense and energy.Under Petrioli’s leadership, WSense has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as the world’s most innovative company in Big Data collection and management for the monitoring and protection of marine ecosystems.
A Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at La Sapienza, she leads the SENSES laboratory and has held several leadership roles, including Deputy Rector with responsibility for entrepreneurship incubation. She served on the Board of the European Innovation Council (EIC), the body established by the EC to support breakthrough innovation and technology transfer across Europe.
Since 2024, she is leading InnovUp, the association representing Italy’s innovation ecosystem.
Among the most cited researchers worldwide, Petrioli is an IEEE Fellow for her contributions to wireless and underwater networks.
Her frontier technologies have been featured by CNN, National Geographic, and BBC, and have earned her a place in the “Top 2% World Scientists” list by Stanford University, along with numerous awards for innovation.

Deputy Economy editor and L'Innovazione editor, Corriere della Sera

Journalist, Corriere della Sera

Former UN Ambassador; Former USAID Administrator

Ambassador Samantha Power is the Anna Lindh Professor of the Practice of Global Leadership and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and the William D. Zabel Professor of Practice in Human Rights at Harvard Law School. From 2021 to 2025, under President Biden, she served as Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where she led efforts to combat corruption and democratic backsliding, respond to humanitarian crises, and help countries adapt to climate change. Under her leadership, USAID expanded partnerships with the private sector and local organizations, distributed 700 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in developing countries, and supported Ukraine’s economy and energy sector in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
From 2013 to 2017, Ambassador Power served as a member of President Obama’s cabinet and the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, where she worked to advance human rights, address conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, and strengthen international measures to combat ISIS and North Korean nuclear proliferation. From 2009 to 2013, she worked at the National Security Council (NSC) as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights. Earlier in her career, she was the founding executive director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and worked as a freelance war correspondent in the former Yugoslavia.
A Pulitzer Prize–winning author of the New York Times bestsellers, "A Problem from Hell": America and the Age of Genocide and The Education of an Idealist, she has twice been named to TIME magazine’s list of the “100 Most Influential People.” She and her husband Cass Sunstein have two teenage children.

Journalist

Co-founder & Board Member, Emotion Network

Author of "Intelligenza sensibile" - "Sensitive intelligence"

Carlo Rinaldi brings together marketing, technology, and music around a core value: listening.
A computer science engineer from Politecnico di Milano, he also studied piano at the Conservatory of Foggia and later refined his skills in vocal technique, composition and arrangement. He attended executive programs in marketing at the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago.
His career interweaves art, innovation and communication, with over twenty years of experience in digital marketing. He has held leadership roles in international companies such as Microsoft, where he led digital marketing for both consumer and enterprise segments.
Specialized in ad-tech and data-driven innovation, he has worked across media, HR-tech, and AI sectors, contributing to the growth of technology ventures in Italy and abroad.
He is currently Director of Marketing and Communications at Humans.tech, where he leads an ecosystem that bridges technology and human value.
A TEDx speaker (Rovigo, 2023 and Lecco, 2025) and author of the book Sensitive Intelligence (Egea, 2025), he explores the potential of relational listening as a generative force for both human and artificial intelligence.
He conducts a gospel choir, volunteers in Africa and tends to a garden - believing that the most authentic innovation arises in the relational space, where we move from ego to eco, from the solo voice to resonance.

CEO & Co-founder, Smartness

Luca Rodella is the CEO and Co-founder of Smartness, an Italian technology company building software and AI solutions for the hospitality industry.
He founded Smartness in 2020, during one of the most challenging periods for global travel, with the goal of helping hotels and accommodation providers improve performance through technology, automation, and smarter use of data. Since then, together with his team, he has helped build one of Europe’s fastest-growing vertical SaaS companies in the lodging space.
Today, Smartness operates in more than 40 countries, serves thousands of accommodation providers, and has raised over €60 million from international investors. The company is building a vertically integrated AI platform spanning pricing, marketing, guest communication, operations, and payments, with the ambition of becoming a global reference point for innovation in hospitality technology.

Head of Macro Area Nord Institutional Affairs – Italy, Enel

Filippo Nicolò Rodriguez is a Senior Executive with over 15 years experience in national and international public affairs, European policy, ESG strategy, and corporate philanthropy.
He currently serves as Head of Institutional Affairs Northern Macro Area at Enel. Throughout his career, he has held a number of increasingly senior roles within the Enel Group, including Managing Director of Enel Cuore, the Group’s corporate foundation, and Head of Sustainability Italy.
He has also gained significant international experience, both within Enel—where he held senior positions in the European Affairs Directorate in Brussels—and within multilateral environments, collaborating with United Nations agencies and diplomatic representations.
He has been elected to several positions in national and international organizations, including member of the National Council of ASSIFERO (Italian Association of Grant-Making Foundations), Vice President of the United Nations Global Compact Network Italy, as well as Chair of Eurelectric’s Social Sustainability Working Group.
He graduated with honors in International Relations and Political Science from Roma Tre University and holds a postgraduate diploma in Diplomacy from ISPI in Milan. He has completed executive training programs at leading international academic institutions and think tanks, including the European University Institute, the Aspen Institute, and the London School of Economics. He was also selected as a Young Leader Fellow by the Council for the United States and Italy (CONSIUSA).

Author, "The Italian Dream: riprendersi il futuro"

Alec Ross is a New York Times best-selling author and Distinguished Professor at Bologna Bologna Business School. He is the author of The Italian Dream: Riprendersi il Futuro. His books have been translated into 24 languages and been best-sellers on 5 continents.
He is a Board Partner at Amplo, a global venture capital firm and sits on the board of directors for companies in the fields of technology, manufacturing, telecommunications, education, human capital, health and cybersecurity. He ran technology and media policy for Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign and served for four years as Senior Advisor for Innovation to the Secretary of State.
He currently splits his time 50/40/10: 50% USA, 40% Italy, 10% running around.

CEO, Brunello Cucinelli S.p.A

Born in Perugia in 1981, he earned a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Perugia.
Since 2020, he has served as Chief Executive Officer of Brunello Cucinelli S.p.A.
He is a member of the Council for Human Sustainability and Humanistic Capitalism, dedicated to safeguarding and nurturing the essential ethical values that underpin the lifestyle and working model promoted by the Solomeo-based company.
Since March 2018, he has been President of the Umbria Business School, which is devoted to Confindustria Umbria’s Educational Systems, within which he also serves as Delegate for Culture.
In May 2023, he was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of AC Milan.

Chief Impact Officer, LionTree

Caryl M. Stern is the Chief Impact Officer at LionTree, an independent investment and merchant bank with deep roots in the media, technology, communications, consumer, and creative industries. The former Executive Director of the Walton Family Foundation (2020–2023), she previously served for 14 years as President and CEO of UNICEF USA, and, before that, as Senior Associate National Director and Chief Operating Officer at the Anti-Defamation League; the founding director of its A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute; and the Dean of Students at Polytechnic University.
Caryl was invited to present at the White House’s inaugural summit on The United State of Women and was named one of “25 Women Changing the World in 2017” by People Magazine.
She serves on the Boards of Directors of the We Are Family Foundation and Beyond Sport, and is member of the Chime for Change and Change the World Academy Advisory Boards.
The recipient of five honorary doctoral degree, Caryl earned a bachelor’s degree in studio art and a master’s degree in college student personnel administration, and completed her Ph.D. coursework in the same field.

Founder and President, Rainbow; President, Colorado Film

Iginio Straffi's artistic career took off at a young age, first as a comic book writer for major publishers, including Sergio Bonelli, then working on animation projects for international studios in France and Luxembourg.
In 1995, he returned to Italy to found Rainbow in Loreto, in the Marche region, which he now chairs and serves as CEO.
His small animation studio grew year after year to become a well-structured and globally recognized group that currently includes Rainbow, Rainbow CGI, Tridimensional, Bardel Entertainment, and Colorado Film, of which Straffi is president.
A tireless creative force, Straffi develops and distributes animated and live-action productions for TV, cinema and streaming platforms, while also overseeing licensing and the development of merchandising, editorial and multimedia products related to Rainbow and licensed properties. He is the creator of the hit series Winx Club, a cultural phenomenon and one of the most iconic brands in the entertainment industry.
The recipient of numerous national and international awards for his work, and an honorary degree in Economics and Management from the Polytechnic University of Ancona, Straffi is constantly on the lookout for new creative challenges, and over the years he has led Rainbow's expansion on all fronts with remarkable results, being named one of the 500 most influential managers in the media industry by Variety Magazine in 2018.

Exit Coach | Investor | $3B+ in exits | 6 boards | Princeton + HBS

Navin Thukkaram is an investor, operator, board member, and Exit Coach. With over $3 billion in exits, he has served on six boards of companies ranging from $50 million to over $2 billion in value.
Previously, Navin was one of two senior partners at Vulcan Capital Private Equity, the investment firm of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. He was COO, board member, and early investor in Qwiki, a mobile video startup that was acquired by Yahoo! for $50 million. He was also founding investor and board member of SkyKick, which exited to ConnectWise in a nine-figure transaction.
Today, Navin shares that experience directly with leaders navigating their most consequential decisions. His practice spans PE-backed CEOs, partners of investment funds, and unicorn technology founders.
Navin has delivered keynotes for Google, Microsoft, Harvard and several Wall Street banks. He has been featured on CNBC Squawk Box, Fox News Business, and Fortune.
Navin holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BSE from Princeton, where he was a Division I golfer. He sits on the Advisory Board of CSIS, the leading U.S. national security think tank. Navin divides his time between Park City (Utah), Stockholm, and New York City.

Founder and Managing Partner, Ambienta

Nino Tronchetti Provera is Ambienta’s Founder and Managing Partner, one of Europe’s largest and most established asset managers exclusively focused on environmental sustainability.
In his final university dissertation in 1991, guided by the idea that environmental sustainability is the most mega of all mega trends, Nino theorized that by riding this wave one could not only positively impact the environment but also reap superior financial returns. In 1993, he established McKinsey’s first environmental practice globally at the Milan office, and in 1997 he became an entrepreneur in the sector with the creation of Cam Tecnologie, focused on cleaner fuels and wind energy. After playing a decisive role in the creation of the Kyoto Club in Europe (the association of European environmental entrepreneurs), Nino gave concrete shape to his vision by founding Ambienta in 2007.
In 2022, he received the inaugural ESG Hall of Fame award from Real Deals, which recognized him for the ability to proactively collaborate with internal and external stakeholders alike and the success in the implementation of ESG strategies in the firm. The award also highlighted Ambienta’s proprietary ESG in Action program, considered a distinctive and cutting-edge model in the industry. Prior to founding Ambienta, he held executive roles within the Telecom Italia Group, first as Chief Executive Officer of Finsiel and subsequently as General Manager of Olivetti. He is Chairman of the Ambienta Foundation and a member of the Board of the San Patrignano Foundation.
He holds a degree (cum laude) in Business Administration from Luiss University, Rome, and an MBA from INSEAD.

Vice-President, EIB

Gelsomina Vigliotti is Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), where she plays a key role in shaping the institution’s strategic direction, financing priorities, and international partnerships, with a strong focus on sustainable growth and European economic integration.
Since 2023, she has also been a member of the Steering Committee of the Istituto Affari Internazionali, contributing to high-level dialogue on international affairs and policy. Appointed Vice-President of the EIB in October 2021, she has reinforced the Bank’s role as a central financial arm of the European Union, supporting investment in innovation, infrastructure, climate transition, and development across Europe and beyond.
Previously, from 2016 to 2021, she served as Director General for International Financial Relations at the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance, where she was responsible for Italy’s engagement with international financial institutions and global economic governance frameworks. In this role, she also contributed to the preparation of Ecofin and Eurogroup meetings and acted as Alternate Member of key European financial bodies, including the Economic and Financial Committee of the EU, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), and the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF).
Between 2012 and 2015, she was Director of the Office for Economic and Monetary Union policy issues at the Italian Treasury, overseeing strategic EU economic policy coordination. Earlier in her career, she held senior roles at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Italian Senate Budget Office, and within the Ministry of Economy and Finance, focusing on international economy, EU enlargement, and macroeconomic policy. She also served as Assistant to the Italian Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., gaining direct experience in global financial institutions.
Her academic background includes a Master of Science in Economics from the University of York, a PhD candidacy at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, and a research scholarship at the European Institute of the London School of Economics and Political Science. She also holds a degree in Political Science from LUISS University in Rome, along with additional training in economic development and public administration.
Fluent in English and French, she has built a career spanning national governments, European institutions, and international organizations, consistently working at the intersection of economic policy, financial governance, and European integration.

Founder & CEO at FNDR | Storytelling advisor to founders: Steve Jobs at Apple, Brian Chesky at Airbnb, Evan Spiegel at Snapchat | Storytelling Masterclasses, Speaker

James Vincent, founder and CEO of FNDR, is renowned for his storytelling skills.
His career has led him to work side by side with some of the most innovative entrepreneurs of recent decades.
As CEO of FNDR, James leads a team of the world's most experienced consultants and storytellers, personally engaging in most consultations to offer his vast experience and vision to founders seeking FNDR's guidance. He helps them navigate both the broader context and the daily challenges of managing their businesses.
James Vincent spent over ten years at Apple, working alongside Steve Jobs, where he crafted the narrative and communication for disruptive products like the iPod, iTunes, iPhone, App Store, and iPad. During this time, in 2006, he founded Apple's exclusive partner agency, Media Arts Lab, where he also served as CEO. Under his leadership, the agency grew to include over 500 people in 6 offices worldwide.
After his tenure at Apple, James Vincent became a key advisor to Airbnb's founder and CEO, Brian Chesky, shaping the user experience globally. Specifically, Vincent provided comprehensive brand development advice for Airbnb and worked internally to develop the minimum viable product (MVP). This effort culminated in the launch of "Experiences" as a significant part of the Trips platform in November 2016. More broadly, his entrepreneurial and storytelling abilities have helped successful companies such as Snap, Discord, Brex, Glossier, Sonos, Patreon, Sorare, and Scale.ai, to name a few.

Sales Network Director, Banca Mediolanum

Stefano Volpato began his career with a short stint in the administrative sector before joining Programma Italia in 1986.
He moved into a supervisory role in 1988 and, by 2000, was leading a team of more than 400 professionals across the Triveneto area.
In 2003, he was appointed Divisional Manager with responsibility for the Emilia-Romagna region. Three years later, he took on the role of Regional Manager for the North-East, overseeing both Triveneto and Emilia-Romagna and a network of over 1,500 Family Bankers. Since January 2011, he has served as Sales Network Director at Banca Mediolanum S.p.A

Co-Founder & CEO, Serenis

Born in 1986, Silvia Wang is the co-founder and CEO of Serenis, a digital clinic established with the mission of making wellbeing more accessible. The tech company provides mental health services—including psychotherapy, coaching, and psychiatry—alongside nutritional wellness programs, such as weight management and eating disorder treatments, as well as general medicine and pediatric services. All services are integrated into a personalized care journey, powered by technology.
In five years, Serenis has become the largest multi-specialty digital clinic in Italy, facilitating over 1 million sessions annually with a network of 3,000 professionals and more than 300 corporate clients.
Silvia was also the co-founder of ProntoPro, which she started at just 28 years old along with her husband, Marco Ogliengo. The service marketplace became the market leader in Italy and expanded into four countries, leading to a successful exit in 2021. She is the mother of Filippo, Davide, and Michela.