The Corporate Advisory Board (CAB) of Luiss Business School is called upon to support the School’s strategic development and ensure a dialogue between education, research and the business community.
Composed of leaders from national and international companies, selected among figures of proven expertise and broad, diverse professional backgrounds, the Board promotes the exchange of knowledge, identifies emerging trends across different sectors and contributes to shaping an educational offering increasingly aligned with the evolution of the global market. This connection is a cornerstone of the School’s positioning, whose leadership in advanced management education is internationally recognised through its triple accreditation (EQUIS, AMBA, AACSB).
“I am convinced that the experience and vision of the Board members represent an invaluable asset for our School. Their contribution will be key not only to enriching our strategic dialogue, but also to strengthening the trajectories through which we build skills and knowledge for all our stakeholders, in light of innovation, impact and responsibility,” says Luigi Abete, President of Luiss Business School.
Members
Luigi Abete, President, Luiss Business School
Luigi Abete, born in Rome in 1947, holds a degree in Law. In 1978, he was elected President of the National Committee of Young Entrepreneurs of Confindustria and later President of the Federation of Industrialists of Lazio; from 1992 to 1996, he served as President of Confindustria.
From 1993 to 2001, he served as President of Luiss Guido Carli University. He subsequently chaired UIR, the Union of Industrialists and Enterprises of Rome, ASSONIME S.p.A., the Association of Italian Joint-Stock Companies and Securities Issuers, and FeBAF, the Italian Banking, Insurance and Finance Federation, of which he is currently Honorary President. He was Chairman of Banca Nazionale del Lavoro S.p.A. from 1998 to 2021 and is currently Chairman of Fondazione BNL.
Since 2007, he has served as President of Luiss Società Sportiva Dilettantistica a r.l. — AS Luiss.
Since May 2022, he has been Chairman of Luiss Business School S.p.A., an institution to which he has devoted his commitment since the 1990s. He is currently President of Confindustria Cultura Italia, the federation that brings together, within Confindustria, the associations representing the cinema, audiovisual, publishing, music and museum services sectors.
Raffaele Oriani, Dean, Luiss Business School
Raffaele Oriani is Dean of Luiss Business School and Full Professor of Corporate Finance. He has served as Associate Dean for Faculty, Director of the Custom & Consulting Business Unit, Director of the Master in Business Administration (MBA) at Luiss Business School, and Director of the Master’s Degree Programme in Corporate Finance at Luiss Guido Carli University. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of Southampton Business School.
Professor Oriani earned his PhD in Management from the University of Bologna and has been a Visiting Scholar at the Department of Economics of the University of California, Berkeley, and at the Research Department of the Bank of Italy. He has taught across a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate master’s and executive programmes, and also teaches in custom programmes, open programmes and the PhD in Management at Luiss Guido Carli University.
His research focuses on key topics in economics, finance and business management. He has published in several international academic journals, including Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science, Industrial and Corporate Change, Advances in Strategic Management, International Journal of Industrial Organization, Research Policy, Scientometrics, Journal of Product Innovation Management, International Review of Financial Analysis, and Strategic Organization.
Sonia Bonfiglioli, President & CEO, Bonfiglioli
Sonia Bonfiglioli is Executive Chairwoman of the Bonfiglioli Group and President of Confindustria Emilia Area Centro. She holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA from Profingest, now Bologna Business School, and an Advanced Management Program from IESE. She joined the Board of Directors of the family company in 1982, gaining cross-functional experience across the main areas of the business and contributing to the Group’s industrial development and innovation. In 2008, she was appointed Chief Executive Officer and, in 2010, Chairwoman, leading the company’s international expansion and strengthening its competitiveness in global markets. In 2015, she was awarded the title of Cavaliere del Lavoro, and in 2018 she received the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Carlo Cimbri, President, Unipol
Carlo Cimbri is Chairman of Unipol Assicurazioni S.p.A. (“Unipol”), formerly Unipol Gruppo S.p.A., which, as of 31 December 2024, incorporated UnipolSai Assicurazioni S.p.A., where he also served as Chairman. UnipolSai itself was established in early 2014 following the merger of the Unipol and Fondiaria-SAI insurance groups. Born in Cagliari in 1965, he graduated with honours in Economics and Business from the University of Bologna and has over 30 years of experience in the insurance and banking sectors.
He joined Unipol in 1990 and, over the years, held positions of increasing responsibility, becoming one of the General Managers of the Unipol Group in 2005. He was subsequently appointed sole General Manager in 2007 and, in 2010, also Chief Executive Officer, a role he held until April 2022, when he was appointed Chairman.
He is currently a board member of Euresa Association and ICMIF, the International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation. He is also Chairman of the European Institute of Oncology, which also includes the Monzino Cardiology Centre, two Italian centres of excellence in oncology and cardiology. In addition, he serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.
In 2016, he received the prestigious “Premio Guido Carli”, awarded to outstanding Italian figures in the fields of economics, high finance, culture and social commitment. On 2 June 2024, he was awarded the honour of Cavaliere del Lavoro by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella. In October 2024, he received the NIAF Leonardo da Vinci Lifetime Achievement Award for Leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact in Washington, D.C.
Barbara Cimmino, Head of Innovation & Corporate Social Responsibility, Yamamay
Barbara Cimmino holds a degree in Political Science – International Relations from the University of Naples Federico II and subsequently furthered her education with studies in Fashion Merchandising in London. She is co-founder of Yamamay, where she serves as Head of Innovation & Corporate Social Responsibility, contributing to the development of the brand and its international positioning through strategies focused on innovation, sustainability and the integration of ESG principles into the business model.
Since 2024, she has been Vice President of Confindustria, with responsibility for Export and Investment Attraction. She is also Vice President of EURATEX, the European Apparel and Textile Confederation, with a focus on sustainability, competitiveness and the transition of the sector at European level.
Alongside her entrepreneurial and institutional activities, she holds positions in national and international organisations and maintains a strong commitment to social, environmental and cultural initiatives.
Andrea Duilio, CEO, Sky Italy
Andrea Duilio is Chief Executive Officer of Sky Italia. He holds a degree in Economics from Bocconi University in Milan and has extensive experience in the telecommunications and media sectors. He developed much of his career at Vodafone Italia, where he held roles of increasing responsibility within the Consumer Business Unit, eventually leading the company’s commercial activities and digital transformation journey. In 2021, he joined Sky Italia as CEO, contributing to the company’s strategic development and business evolution in a sector undergoing profound transformation.
Melissa Ferretti Peretti, Vicepresident & Country Manager, Google Italy
Melissa Ferretti Peretti graduated with highest honours in Economics and Business from Sapienza University of Rome in 1997. In the same year, she began working at Accenture, contributing to several projects, including Agip Petroli’s acquisition of IP. Three years later, she joined the dot.com division, where she worked on the launch of several digital start-ups, as well as M&A and memoranda of understanding aimed at sales processes.
In 2001, she earned an MBA from Bocconi University in Milan and subsequently joined Vodafone as Product Manager. In 2003, she began her career at American Express, where she held roles of increasing responsibility. In 2009, she was appointed Vice President of Products and Communications, later taking on responsibility for partnerships and CRM. In 2013, she became Head of the Small Business segment and, in September 2014, was appointed Vice President, Head of Consumer and Small Business Italy, overseeing the development of the consumer and small business markets, including through the launch of co-branded products in Italy.
In March 2015, she became Chief Executive Officer of American Express Italy, leading the market to double-digit growth and strongly accelerating its digital transformation. In 2018, she further expanded her responsibilities, becoming Head of Consumer Business for Germany and Austria; from 2021, following her promotion to Senior Vice President, she also became responsible for the markets of Switzerland, the Middle East and Saudi Arabia.
She was the main sponsor of American Express’s Inclusion & Diversity initiatives and of the Group’s projects aimed at strengthening female leadership and promoting the presence of women within the company, a commitment that led her to win the Bellisario Award in 2016. In September 2022, after 18 years at American Express, she left the company and became Chief Executive Officer of Google Italy. In 2016, she received the prestigious Bellisario “Mela d’Oro” Award and is a member of the Board of Directors of Technogym and of the Scientific Committee of Politecnico di Milano.
Vincenzo Manes, President & CEO, Intek Group
Vincenzo Manes is the reference shareholder and Executive Vice Chairman of KME Group S.p.A. In 2003, he established Fondazione Dynamo, whose main mission is to offer free holidays to children and adolescents affected by serious and chronic illnesses, together with their siblings and families. Dynamo Camp has provided therapeutic recreational experiences to almost 100,000 participants. Today, the camp also offers essential support to families of children with disabilities through initiatives such as the City Camp programme and the Caring School educational project.
In 2013, he was appointed Cavaliere del Lavoro for his entrepreneurial activities and for his ethical and social commitment to improving living and working conditions in Italy.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of TOD’S Group and Class Editori, and has also served as a board member of Fondazione Adriano Olivetti and Fondo Filantropico Italiano.
He graduated with honours in Economics and Business from Luiss University in Rome, where he was also named Luiss Alumnus of the Year 2023. He is married and has three children.
Fabrizio Palermo, CEO & DG, Acea
Fabrizio Palermo has served as Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Acea S.p.A. since 3 May 2023, having already held the position of Chief Executive Officer since 26 September 2022. Since April 2025, he has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Generali Group, where he also serves as Chairman of the Related-Party Transactions Committee and as a member of the Investment Committee.
Fabrizio Palermo’s professional experience spans the financial sector and several industrial sectors. He began his career abroad in the private sector before moving into the public sector. From July 2018 to May 2021, he served as Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, where he had already held the position of Chief Financial Officer since 2014.
From 2005 to 2014, he worked at the Fincantieri Group, where he held senior positions of increasing responsibility: first as Director of Business Development and Corporate Finance, then as Chief Financial Officer from 2006 to 2014, and finally as Deputy General Manager from 2011 to 2014. From 1998 to 2005, he worked at McKinsey & Company, specialising in restructuring, transformation and turnaround projects for major industrial and financial groups. Fabrizio Palermo began his professional career at Morgan Stanley’s London offices, in the Investment Banking division.
A Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, he has received recognition from the City of Perugia for his outstanding managerial skills and professional commitment. He was named “Businessperson of the Year” in the industrial sector by Fortune Italia and awarded the title of “Canoviano d’Onore 2019” by the Canova Club.
Throughout his career, he has held, and continues to hold, positions on boards of directors, associations, committees and advisory boards of leading companies and institutions of national and international relevance, combining his managerial activity with a longstanding academic commitment in the field of finance.
Silvia Rovere, President, Poste Italiane
Silvia Rovere has been Chairwoman of Poste Italiane S.p.A. since May 2023 and is the founder and CEO of Equita Real Estate. She graduated with honours and special mention in Economics from the University of Turin and has over twenty-five years of experience in private equity, real estate finance and asset management, with a particular focus on ESG investments.
She served as President of Assoimmobiliare from 2017 to 2023, contributing to the development of innovation and training initiatives in the real estate sector. Over the course of her career, she has held senior positions in the public and financial sectors, including Chief Financial Officer of Patrimonio dello Stato S.p.A. and General Manager of REAM SGR.
Alongside her professional activity, she is involved in academic and institutional initiatives and serves on boards of directors and international organisations. In 2024, she was awarded the honour of Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
Ninell Sobiecka, President & CEO, L’Oréal Italy
Born in Poland and a graduate of Heriot-Watt University, Ninell Sobiecka began her career in 1997 at PepsiCo. Over the years, she held significant roles at Danone and Henkel in Poland, France and Germany.
Ninell joined L’Oréal in 2006 as Marketing Manager for L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty in Switzerland. Over the years, she took on key roles across Europe and held positions of increasing responsibility, first as Marketing Manager for Vichy in Germany and subsequently as General Manager of Vichy in Russia.
Her career then led to her appointment as General Manager of L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty in Russia. In 2016, she was appointed General Manager of L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty for Asia Pacific. In this role, she launched the Division in several countries, digitalised the business model and significantly expanded both e-commerce and the medical channel.
In 2021, she returned to Russia and took on the role of Deputy General Manager, responsible for the Consumer Products Division. In 2023, she was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer for Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Since 1 January 2024, she has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of L’Oréal Italy.
