SDA Bocconi School of Management announces a collaboration with Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026

A kick-off webinar to launch the program for leaders of the sports, entertainment and exhibition industries.

The webinar “Milano Cortina 2026: the Managerial Complexity Behind Hosting Olympic and Paralympic Games" launched the prestigious new collaboration between Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 and SDA Bocconi School of Management. The collaboration will officially start in January 2024 with the launch of the first ever edition of SDA Bocconi's Executive Master in Business of Events (EMBE) program.

The webinar featured as keynote speakers: Giovanni Malagò, President of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation and CONI, Diana Bianchedi, Chief Strategy Planning & Legacy Officer of the Organizing Committee, and Prof. Dino Ruta, Academic Director of EMBE. The event offered an inspiring dialogue to make the audience aware of the common goals that the two entities intend to pursue through this significant collaboration.

Besides sharing values of innovation and growth, the unifying element in the collaboration is the desire to address future generations by creating a project that is focused on the world of events. The initiative perfectly fits the commitments of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 to create a lasting legacy in the development of human capital for the benefit of the Country.

The project will allow SDA Bocconi faculty and professionals from Fondazione to be part of an open dialogue with mutual growth, giving EMBE participants the opportunity to visit the offices and the venues of the Games and learn about the economic managerial content of the organization.

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games have the responsibility to leave an intangible legacy in terms of education and culture, and this agreement marks a key step in that direction. Through the involvement of professionals from the Organizing Committee, participants will have the opportunity to embrace the values of sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, a key component for all those who wish to enter the world of events,” Giovanni Malagò stated.

The Master will start in January 2024 and consists of six modules delivered throughout 12 months in five cities: Doha, London, Milan, Paris and Rome. An unprecedented project that combines academic excellence and Italian managerial experience through the communicative power of the sports element. Part of a wide range of educational offerings created by SDA Bocconi's Sport and Entertainment Knowledge Center, EMBE leverages the collaboration with the Italian Olympic and Paralympic Project to create value. “We are very pleased to be an active part of this new initiative and to collaborate with one of the most prestigious business schools the Italian scene has to offer," said Andrea Varnier, CEO of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026. He added that "Milano Cortina 2026 will be sustainable and inclusive Olympic and Paralympic Games, targeting a wide audience, with the goal of influencing the next generations, which have a strong sensitivity towards educational growth, elements that make this collaboration a valuable opportunity for both parties.”

The Olympics and Paralympics are an emblematic example of an event that combines sports, entertainment and exhibition because of the many initiatives that take place during the Games.

“The purpose of EMBE is to generate value for the events business, drawing inspiration from examples of excellence such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games. SDA Bocconi intends to create a place of learning and dialogue that can inspire event professionals in the sports, entertainment and exhibition industries," explained Prof. Dino Ruta, EMBE Academic Director. "Institutions, companies, faculty and participants will work together on a project of knowledge creation and discussion with key international leaders. It is a privilege to be able to collaborate with Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, making us ambassadors of the content and Olympic values in the SDA Bocconi campus and in the world.”

The participants of the Master will have the opportunity to gain international experience and develop an entrepreneurial mindset aimed at increasing the economic and social value of existing events or lay groundwork to design new events in line with to modern managerial approach. The faculty of SDA Bocconi and the knowledge network of the Sport and Entertainment Knowledge Center will work together for the creation of value within this industry.

SDA Bocconi School of Management