People, talent, and skills as drivers of growth

Growth is the most pressing issue of our times for Italy and Europe, and human capital is an essential component of the engine needed to ignite it. This is how Dean Stefano Caselli introduced the event “Capitale Umano. Persone, talenti e competenze: i motori per crescere” (Human Capital. People, talent, and skills: drivers of growth), organized by SDA Bocconi School of Management and L’Economia del Corriere della Sera.

On the morning of Thursday, October 17, with Corriere della Sera journalist Francesca Gambarini as the master of ceremonies, the event featured reflections and stories showcasing the career paths of today's economic leaders and the trajectories they could follow in the future, with the rise of artificial intelligence and generational shifts. Two key points emerged: the centrality of people and the importance of continuous education.

In a video message, Minister of Labor Maria Elvira Calderone emphasized the need to find new organizational models and understand the impact of emerging technologies.

Rossella Cappetta, who researches leadership, human resources, and digital technologies at SDA Bocconi, also referenced the epochal changes driven by technology. “Everyone’s skills will need to evolve,” she said, “including those of people over 50. This is a challenge that can only be met through large-scale training programs, such as those launched with the Jobs Act in the United States, which enabled two million people to receive training.”

Massimo Magni, Professor of Leadership, discussed the evolution of teaching in this field, stressing the need for critical thinking and holistic leadership, which takes into account what happens outside the organization when managing people.

Investing in knowledge, according to Paola Cillo, Head of the Claudio Demattè Research Division at SDA Bocconi and an innovation scholar, is the only effective way to nurture one's talent. “Identifying your talents, investing in them, and fueling your passions is what one should always do,” she said.

After speeches by Nicola Saldutti and Venanzio Postiglione from Corriere della Sera, Cristina Scocchia, CEO of illycaffè, shared her experience, encouraging young people to ensure that their socio-economic starting point does not define who they are.

The roundtable discussions included Isabelle Leggieri (Philip Morris Italia), Roberto Speziotto (Banco BPM), Paolo Chiriotti (TIM), Claudio Sforza (Fincantieri), Angelo Lovecchio (ADECCO Italia), Ermete Realacci (Symbola), and two students from SDA Bocconi’s Master in Entrepreneurship and Business Strategy (MISA), Massimiliano Martelli and Irina Kudryatseva.

Providing their compelling personal stories were Silvia Ranica (BPM), Marco Lancia (2W Piaggio Group), Francesca Corrado (Scuola di Fallimento), Mattia Quaresmini (AB InBev), and Marco Ogliengo (Jet HR).

The meeting concluded with a video message from CasaArché.

SDA Bocconi School of Management