Marco Podini is the Executive Chairman and CEO of Dedagroup, and CEO of Lillo, the family holding company that controls MD Spa, a leading player in the retail sector with €4 billion in revenue in 2023. Founded 25 years ago from Marco Podini’s vision and initiative to invest in the potential of technology while diversifying the family business, Dedagroup today brings together expertise across cloud, AI, cybersecurity, and proprietary software platforms for fashion, public administration, and finance, as well as end-to-end services that help organizations grow their business and accelerate their digital transformation.

Graduated in Civil Engineering with a PhD in Transportation Engineering, Mario Nobile has held various managerial roles in territorial planning and IT services, including programs for broadband development across the region.

A leader with extensive global experience in the high-tech sector, Marco served as COO of Apple Computer in Cupertino, overseeing global Operations, Marketing, and Sales, after successfully leading the turnaround of Apple EMEA as President of Apple Europe. Previously, he spent over 20 years at Texas Instruments, managing all business units in the EMEA region from Brussels and in the ASIA region from Hong Kong. During his three-year tenure, TI Asia grew revenues from $1 billion to over $4 billion. In Brussels, he received the prestigious European Quality Award and was appointed President of the American-European Electronics Association, representing over 300,000 workers before the European Commission. Marco holds a degree in Telecommunications Engineering from the esteemed University of Bologna and completed an Executive MBA at INSEAD. He serves on the boards of several international companies and invests in innovative new technologies.

He is one of the most authoritative and visionary voices in digital innovation in Italy. A pioneer of the Internet when the web was still uncharted territory, he helped shape its development through cutting-edge international projects. In 1994, he founded Czech on Line, and in 1997, he established Tiscali, transforming it within a few years into a major publicly listed European operator. An entrepreneur able to anticipate change, he has successfully combined technology, strategic vision, and tangible impact on the economic landscape. He is the founder and largest shareholder of Istella, a leading company in big data and generative artificial intelligence, through which he promotes a vision of European AI that is ethical and transparent, based on high-quality data and proprietary technologies.

Roberto Loro is the Chief Technology Officer of Dedagroup and leads the Group’s Technology & Innovation Division, overseeing the definition and development of technology innovation strategies, investments, and the evolution of digital infrastructure, with a focus on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and cloud. With over thirty years of IT experience, gained through entrepreneurship and managerial roles, he champions an integrated vision of innovation that turns strategic partnerships and emerging technologies into tangible value for businesses, public administrations, and regions. He has contributed to building a co-innovation ecosystem involving universities and research centers, including the Bruno Kessler Foundation, fostering public-private collaboration models. He is one of the promoters of Intacture, Europe’s first underground data center built in an active mine: a sustainable, highly resilient infrastructure and innovation hub for AI and specialized supercomputing. As President of the Computer Science and Digital Technologies Section of Confindustria Trento and Vice President of AIIP, he promotes a vision focused on redistributing intelligence and digital capabilities to build a competitive and shared future.

Enza Iannopollo is Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester, specializing in privacy, trust, and responsible AI. She helps global organizations integrate ethical and responsible data practices into strategic initiatives, supporting growth while managing compliance and risk. Certified as an Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/E), Enza is a frequent speaker at international conferences and is often cited by major publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Forbes.

After earning his degree in Engineering, he began his professional career at Telecom Italia, designing solutions for major clients to support Sales. Following the liberalization of telecommunications, he gained experience in Italian branches of European companies such as Swisscom and T-Systems, working in Product Marketing to develop service portfolios and their market positioning. In 2006, he joined BV TECH, a newly established ICT services company, to launch the BU focused on Healthcare & Public consulting, where he spent 14 years gaining deep business and management experience. From 2020 to 2023 at Retelit, he served as Chief Transformation Officer, leading the integration of multiple acquired companies to expand the company’s position in Digital Transformation services. He also held group-level responsibilities for HR & Organization and Marcomm. He is currently Alliance Director at Aruba, leading the Enterprise-focused Alliances team and managing partnerships with key players in the ICT ecosystem.

Ain Zara Consorti helps shape the Group’s technology innovation strategies, the conscious adoption of emerging technologies, and the growth of both internal and external innovation ecosystems. In her role, she interprets and connects technological trends, analyzing their impact on operational and business models to turn innovation into sustainable, manageable, and long-lasting projects. She is responsible for designing and developing cross-functional initiatives and co-innovation forums that bring together group companies, startups, universities, and research centers, contributing to the creation of an open, collaborative ecosystem focused on generating value. With a strong professional background in IT gained in complex, cross-functional environments, she works to translate technological insights, strategic partnerships, and ecosystem experiences into concrete evolution strategies for the Group’s companies, promoting an open vision of innovation as a strategic driver capable of creating value, coordination, and business impact.

Co-founder and Chairman of Talent Garden—a hub for digital talent—he was recognized by Forbes as one of the “30 Under 30” most influential in Technology and by Wired as one of Italy’s “Top 5 Innovators.” In 2011, he founded Talent Garden, the largest European digital education group, which connects the labor market and education through its Academies across more than 12 European markets. Each year, Talent Garden trains over 25,000 individuals in digital skills and manages corporate Academies focused on digital upskilling and reskilling for Europe’s largest companies. He is an angel investor in various European startups and a keynote speaker at numerous national and international events. He serves as a member of Endeavor, an organization that selects top entrepreneurs globally; sits on the board of Spencer Stuart, an international executive search firm; Be Consulting, one of Europe’s largest financial consulting groups; Digital Magics, Italy’s largest publicly listed startup incubator; and the Telethon Foundation, one of Italy’s leading organizations supporting rare disease research.

Simone Moro is a world-renowned mountaineer and helicopter pilot, whose high-altitude climbing feats inspire adventurers across the globe. Born on October 27, 1967, in Bergamo, Italy, Moro has reached the pinnacle of high-altitude mountaineering, distinguishing himself as both a pioneering climber and an experienced helicopter pilot. With a career marked by historic mountaineering achievements, he has redefined the limits of winter climbing on some of the world’s highest peaks, becoming the first to complete winter ascents on four of the Earth’s eight-thousanders. These accomplishments highlight his exceptional technical skills, physical endurance, and unwavering dedication to pushing the boundaries of human potential. Moro’s career spans roles as a mountaineer, high-altitude rescue helicopter pilot with Altitude Helicopters, author of books chronicling his expeditions, and motivational speaker, sharing insights on how to face and overcome challenges. Photo credits: © Matteo Zanga

She hosts the column Beautiful Minds for Italian Tech by Repubblica: portrait-style interviews highlighting outstanding tech and science professionals living and working abroad. So far, 150 episodes have aired weekly on Sundays, attracting a large following on Italian Tech and LinkedIn. For Wired by Condé Nast, she writes the column #Cyberpink, exploring the relationship between women and STEM through conversations with female professionals in science and innovation. She collaborates with Civiltà dei Dati, the new magazine by Fondazione Leonardo ETS, created to promote science and technology to younger generations. For StartupItalia, she manages the column Venti di Futuro, focused on innovators under 30. She previously served as editor-in-chief of Millionaire for over ten years and is the creator and editor of the bestsellers Startup and Silicon Valley, both published by Hoepli. She moderates, organizes, and coordinates events and roundtables, collaborating with numerous institutions and companies.