Press Release

• Developed with FederlegnoArredo and some of the most representative companies in the field, the programme in Furniture Design Management trains future professionals of an industry that is undergoing a significant evolution and is one of the most important for Made in Italy.
• Upon completion of the programme, participants will have the opportunity to undertake internships in partner firms that will facilitate their entry in the working world.

Luiss Business School, FederlegnoArredo, Design Holding, Magis, and Zordan have signed a collaboration agreement for the creation of a programme in “Furniture Design Management”, major of the first-level Master in Management of Creative and Cultural Industries.

This 12-month programme aims at creating managerial profiles with an extensive and in-depth knowledge of the furniture-design sector, the production chain, key players, and different business models operating in the global market. The consistent transformation of the sector, matter of fact, calls for an ever-increasing number of professionals who understand the peculiarities of this industry and are capable of creating value in various organizational areas.

The Italian furniture macro-system, which also includes bathroom furnishings and lighting, includes approximately 21,750 companies with over 140,000 employees. The production turnover almost reached 29 billion euros in 2022. It is a strongly export-oriented production chain, which represents the 53% of the total turnover. The main destinations for Italian furniture and lighting exports are France (€2.5 billion), the United States (€1.87 billion), and Germany (€1.4 billion)[1].

The major in Furniture Design Management is scheduled to start in September 2024 and, given the sector’s strong inclination towards export, will be held in English to satisfy the interest of both a national and international audience. Classes will be held in Lombardy and Veneto to take advantage of the proximity to the major industrial districts of the sector, thus combining the managerial and strategic perspective with operational and production aspects which will also be explored during company visits to the headquarters and production facilities of partner companies.

The training programme is designed to progressively ensure and support the professional and personal growth of participants, with a practical and strongly experiential approach. In addition to lectures, the program includes case studies, group work sessions, and labs aimed at developing and reinforcing the soft skills necessary to effectively perform the role of a manager in an industry with such a significant strategic value.

The programme employs a high-level faculty that includes not only Luiss Business School’s professors but also experts and professionals from the design world, through partnerships with FederlegnoArredo, Design Holding, Magis, and Zordan. Sharing their experiences and knowledge with participants will allow the latter to acquire the skills needed to be competitive in the market.

Moreover, students will receive support from Luiss Business School’s Career Service to navigate and manage the transition into the work-world, including the activation of curricular internships with partner companies.

Luca Pirolo, Head of Specialized Masters, Luiss Business School: “Luiss Business School’s multi-campus approach is focused on enhancing the peculiarities of the individual territories in which it operates. The choice of themes and sectors in which to develop educational offerings and the identification of relevant partners who can provide content and experiences for our students are fundamental drivers for the renewal of the school’s programme portfolio. Indeed, it is through the combined action of educational and networking activities that the school ultimately achieves the goal of enriching the professional model of its students and facilitates their entry into the work-world”.

Gabriele Meroni, President FederlegnoArredo: “The Master, designed together with Luiss Business School and other partner companies, aims to meet the growing demand for experts in the complex mechanisms of the industry we represent. Our sector combines the best of creativity with product engineering and the evolution of use of various, diverse, business models in a complex supply chain. The wood-furniture industry needs to train highly specialized professionals whose contribution will be crucial for the strategic development of this industry that has a strong international vocation. The initiative undertaken with Luiss Business School is essential to achieving this goal”.

Daniel Lalonde, Chief Executive Officer Design Holding declares: “Our Group is pleased to participate in this project aimed at training future managers in our sector. Representing the leading high-end design group on the international scene, we are delighted to share the creativity, innovation and expertise of our brands to make the students’ educational journey “real and experiential”.

Alberto Perazza, CEO Magis: “Magis has become a major design laboratory for home, outdoor, office, and contract, believing in experimentation and emerging talents. And it is with many of them, who have now become famous on the international scene, that it has grown. Participating to this training project for young managers is in line with our company’s spirit and working together with Luiss Business School and high-quality partners, we are confident will allow us to contribute to shaping the managerial figures that our sector increasingly demands”.

Giuseppe Caruso, Managing Director Zordan: “Participating in this project together with Luiss Business School, FederlegnoArredo, Design Holding and Magis makes us proud and happy. Intrinsic in our DNA is the strong motivation to share knowledge and skills in the creation of retail spaces for absolute luxury, and this collaboration born with Luiss Business School allows us to make it possible once again to concretize the generational transfer of know-how to future managers in the sector. Our experience, also as a Benefit Company, allows us to enrich the curriculum of these young people with fundamental information regarding sustainability in a complex and articulated supply chain such as that of furniture

[1] 2022 Budgets. Data from FederlegnoArredo Study Center