BE READY

4 July 2014

Expect the Unexpected: More than 1.000 participants in a multidisciplinary jam session at the Graduation and Reunion, 4 and 5 July, creating new relationships and reinforcing the Community.

their studies and hundreds of alumni who, like every year, gathered in Bologna for the Reunion. Together with them, the Rector of the University of Bologna, President Romano Prodi, the Minister of the Environment Gianluca Galletti, the Dean Max Bergami, the Faculty, and also Roberto Napoletano (Director of IlSole24Ore), Beppe Sala (Commissioner of Expo2015), Claudio Domenicali (CEO of Ducati) and Barbara Carfagna (RAI 1).

The chosen theme “Expect the Unexpect” focused attention on the management of uncertainty, in these times not a temporary or exceptional event, but a physiological condition of the environment in which managers now operate. Uncertainty is now the only thing that is certain and that is why it is necessary to develop new attitudes, new cognitive tools and management. “- says the Dean of the Bologna Business School, Massimo Bergami.

Unexpected is also the theme of the celebration for the new masters graduates: 21 Female Italian Chefs have interpreted the theme creating unexpected dishes and participating in the first collective performance of Italian women. As an added surprise: the Faculty of the School, the Rector Dionigi , the President Lorenzoni, and the Dean Bergami participated alongside them, wearing white chef jackets, to serve the guests of honour: the graduates.

The evening continued with music and dancing until dawn (the top manager Andrea Pontremoli acting as the DJ), but it did not slow down the morning programme. At 7:30 the new vegetable garden was inaugurated and at 8:00 there were managerial meditations with Gian Paolo Dallara on the topic of error. “Today, I would not make the mistakes I made in designing the Miura (the legendary Lamborghini from the sixties), but because of this, I would not be able to do it anymore.” Fault tolerance and learning was at the centre of his meditation.

After breakfast, the workshops began: Riccardo Donadon, Founder and CEO of H-FARM, on the theme of entrepreneurship; Claudia Parzani Partner, Linklaters LLP and President of D-value, on the managerial work of women; Mario Pepe, Head Hunter, Managing Director of Russell Reynolds, to think of careers; Nicola Pianon, Managing Director at The Boston Consulting Group, to discuss strategy and changes; Filippo Taddei, Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University and economic director for the National Secretariat of the Democratic Party, with Paolo Manasse, Professor of Economics at the University of Bologna, on economic policies.

The 2014Reunion ended in the Grotto of the Villa followed by a lunch of vegetable crudités, pasta and beans, and pizza from the wood-fired oven in the Secret Garden. Former students remained until late afternoon to speak with each other and left with the promise to meet again soon. Sunday, was a day of rest, on Monday we begin once more.