“A Sky full of Stars” is the title of one of the most famous songs of the Coldplay. The videoclip is a real hymn to the beauty and joy of our life and I want to dedicate this song to the wonderful Global MBA Class of 2019/2020 that concluded Saturday the journey.
The song is also an exceptional metaphor to describe what happened on Saturday June 13, 2020 during the Round Table, entitled: “coMBAt ready” that was participated by so many “Stars”. I do not only refer to the participants, the Dean and the industry leaders that accompanied me in the wonderful journey, Faculty of the program represented by the always supporting and participants passion – prof. Emanuele Bajo (Graduate Programs Associate Dean and Professor of Corporate Finance) and Andrea Pontremoli (CEO Dallara Automobili and instructor of LAB on Advanced Technologies in the Motor Industry), the BBS MBA team headed by Barbara Biondi and Andrea Zani, head of Career Service. It was a marathon of 3,5 hours during which we shared reflections, pills, insights and recommendations on how to fuel the creativity, resilience and leadership over the course of the forthcoming months.
The forthcoming months during which the BBS Global MBA participants will make their return “on the scene” in the corporate world, ready to become constructive players of a more innovative and sustainable society.
By the term “Stars”, I also refer to the extraordinary guests that accepted to spend with us one of the first free Summer Saturday afternoon after the lockdown: they shared passionate vision, strategies and actions to restart after the COVID-19 outbreak. To keep faith to its claim Multiplying Opportunities”, Bologna Business School organized this round table to reinforce in everybody’s mind one of its main strength – recently highlighted also by EFMD in a reaccreditation visit to one of our programs that like the Global MBA has now a five year accreditation (i.e. the Master in Human Resources and Organization) – namely, the closeness and participation of the corporate world.
Massimo Bottura (Michelin-starred Chef and Owner of Osteria Francescana), Walter De Silva (automotive designer of iconic cars like the Alfa 156 nominated in 1998 car of the year), Luca Lisandroni (recently appointed CEO, Brunello Cucinelli), Davide Bollati (Executive Chairman, Davines) and Riccardo Rossini (Senior Partner, Egon Zehnder International and Advisory of Bologna Business School) were the Stars that terminated the first part of the Global MBA Journey at the school. Romano Prodi Professor and Chairman of the International BBS Advisory Board joined the final session of the meeting to give words of realism and hope for the future of Italy and Europe. He infused enthusiasm in all participants by foretelling that “a new spring” might come soon creating new exciting opportunities and projects.
Participants have expressed their enthusiasm that concluded an exceptional year, one of the most intense of my life as professor and Director but also one of the most enriching. I was pleased and delighted to observe my school’s capacity to react to this Covid-19 opportunity and I have been impressed by all students’ capacity to adjust to this unexpected scenario with resilience, flexibility and leadership – all qualities highlighted by Riccardo Rossini – fundamental to take on executive position.
Not only the Round Table but the entire year was an exceptional journey for our participants in the Excellence and Craftsmanship of Made in Italy that has contributed to make them more confident, skilled and passionate regarding the industry they have decided to get specialized in. I will not be surprised if, in the near future, we will read some of our participants names as main players that lead on some many initiatives inside and outside the school. This thought alone makes me proud of them.
Ad maiora.
Marcello Russo
Director of Global MBA
[The group photo was taken on 19/02/2020]