Marco Podini is Executive Chairman and CEO of Dedagroup, and CEO of Lillo, the family holding company that controls MD S.p.A., a leading large-scale retail company with €4 billion in revenue in 2023. Founded 25 years ago from Marco Podini’s vision and determination to invest in the potential of technology and diversify the family business, Deda now offers expertise across cloud, AI, cybersecurity, and proprietary software platforms for the fashion, public sector, and financial services sectors, along with end-to-end services that help organizations grow and accelerate their digital transformation.

A leader with long experience in global hi-tech business. Marco has been COO of Apple Computer in Cupertino responsible for Global Operations, Marketing and Sales after a successful turnaround of Apple EMEA activities as President of Apple Europe. Previously he spent over 20 years at Texas Instruments managing all business units in EMEA based in Brussels and ASIA based in Hong Kong. During his 3 years tenure, TI Asia increased its revenues from $1B to over $4B. In Brussels he won the prestigious European Quality Award and was appointed Chairman of the American-European Electronics Association representing over 300 thousands workers at the European Commission in Brussels. Marco holds a degree in telecom engineering from the prestigious University of Bologna and attended an executive MBA program at INSEAD Institute. He is siƫng in several boards across the world and invests in innovative new technologies.

He is one of Italy’s most authoritative and visionary voices in digital innovation. A pioneer of the Internet when the web was still largely unexplored, he helped shape its development through cutting-edge international projects. In 1994, he founded Czech On Line, followed in 1997 by the creation of Tiscali, which he grew in just a few years into a major publicly listed European telecom operator. An entrepreneur with a strong ability to anticipate change, he has consistently combined technology, strategic vision, and tangible impact on the economic landscape. He is the founder and largest shareholder of Istella, a center of excellence in big data and generative artificial intelligence, through which he champions a European, ethical, and transparent vision of AI, built on high-quality data and proprietary technologies.

Roberto Loro serves as Chief Technology Officer of Dedagroup, where he leads the Group’s Technology & Innovation division. He is responsible for shaping and executing the company’s technology strategy, overseeing innovation investments, and driving the evolution of its digital infrastructure—with a strong focus on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and cloud. With more than 30 years of experience in IT, spanning both entrepreneurship and executive leadership roles, he champions an integrated approach to innovation—one that turns strategic partnerships and emerging technologies into tangible value for businesses, public sector organizations, and local communities. He has played a key role in building a co-innovation ecosystem that brings together universities and research centers, including the Bruno Kessler Foundation, fostering impactful public–private collaboration models. He is among the promoters of Intacture, Europe’s first underground data center built within an active mine—an ultra-resilient, sustainable infrastructure designed as a hub for AI innovation and specialized high-performance computing. He also serves as President of the IT and Digital Technologies Section of Confindustria Trento and as Vice President of AIIP, advocating for a vision that redistributes digital intelligence and capabilities to help build a more competitive and shared future.

Enza Iannopollo is VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester, specializing in privacy, trust, and responsible AI. She helps global organizations integrating responsible and ethical data practices into strategic initiatives to drive growth while managing compliance and risk. A Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/E), Enza is a frequent speaker at international conferences and is quoted in major outlets like The Wall Street Journal and Forbes.

After earning a degree in Engineering, he began his professional career at Telecom Italia, designing solutions for large enterprise clients in support of the Sales organization. Following the liberalization of the telecommunications market, he gained experience in the Italian branches of European companies such as Swisscom and T-Systems, working in Product Marketing to build service portfolios and define their market positioning. In 2006, he joined BV TECH, then an emerging ICT services company, where he launched and led the Healthcare & Public Sector Business Unit. Over the next 14 years, he expanded the division, developing deep expertise in business strategy and corporate management. From 2020 to 2023, at Retelit, he served as Chief Transformation Officer, leading the integration of multiple acquired companies to strengthen the group’s positioning in digital transformation services. At the group level, he also oversaw HR & Organization and Marketing & Communications. He currently serves as Alliance Director at Aruba, leading the Enterprise Alliances team and managing strategic partnerships across the ICT ecosystem.

Ain Zara Consorti contributes to shaping the Group’s technology innovation strategies, promoting the responsible adoption of emerging technologies and the growth of both internal and external innovation ecosystems. In her role, she interprets and connects technology trends, analyzing their impact on operational and business models to turn innovation into sustainable, well-governed, and long-lasting initiatives. She leads the design and development of cross-functional initiatives and co-innovation working groups that bring together group companies, startups, universities, and research centers, helping to build an open, collaborative ecosystem focused on value creation. With a strong professional background in IT, developed across complex and cross-functional environments, she works to translate technology insights, strategic partnerships, and ecosystem-driven experiences into concrete innovation paths for the group’s companies—promoting an open vision of innovation as a strategic orchestration capable of generating value, alignment, and business impact.

Mario Nobile, with a degree in Civil Engineering and a PhD in Transportation Engineering, has held various managerial roles in the field of urban planning, territorial planning, and information technology services, including broadband development programs in the territory. In 2010, he joined the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, initially focusing on urban redevelopment programs and housing policies, before moving on to manage and maintain the real estate assets of central offices, support technologies, and logistical rationalization. From February 2015 to March 2023, he served as Director General for digitalization, information systems, and statistics at the Ministry. In addition to his roles in Public Administration, he has also had academic positions: from 2001 to 2011, he was a part-time lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture of Alma Mater - University of Bologna, and has numerous publications to his credit. Currently, he is a lecturer in "Digital Transformation Management" at the University of Rome UnitelmaSapienza. In March 2023, he was appointed Director-General of AgID, the Agency for Digital Italy.

Co-founder and President of Talent Garden—Europe’s leading digital skills academy network—he was named by Forbes among the “30 Under 30” most influential figures in Technology and by Wired as one of Italy’s “Top 5 Innovators.” In 2011, he founded Talent Garden, now the largest European digital education group. Through its academies operating across more than 12 European markets, the organization bridges the gap between education and the job market for individuals, startups, and companies. Each year, it trains over 25,000 professionals in digital skills and delivers corporate academies focused on digital upskilling and reskilling for some of Europe’s largest organizations. He is an angel investor in several startups across Europe and a frequent keynote speaker at major national and international events. He is a member of Endeavor, the global network supporting high-impact entrepreneurs, and serves on the boards of Spencer Stuart, the international executive search firm; Be Consulting, one of Europe’s leading financial advisory groups; Digital Magics, Italy’s largest publicly listed startup incubator; and Fondazione Telethon, one of Italy’s leading foundations dedicated to research on rare genetic diseases.

Simone Moro is a globally renowned alpinist and helicopter pilot, whose achievements in high-altitude mountaineering inspire adventurers worldwide. Simone Moro, born on October 27, 1967, in Bergamo, Italy, has ascended to the pinnacle of high-altitude mountaineering, setting himself apart as a pioneering alpinist and a skilled helicopter pilot. With a career that reads like a litany of mountaineering milestones, Moro has redefined the possibilities of winter climbing on the world’s highest peaks, becoming the first to achieve winter ascents on four of the Earth’s 8,000-meter giants. These achievements showcase his exceptional technical skills and physical endurance. They also reflect his unwavering commitment to pushing the limits of human potential. Moro’s career spans roles as an alpinist, helicopter pilot in high-altitude rescue and Altitude Helicopters, author detailing his expeditions, and a Motivational speaker sharing insights on overcoming challenges. Credits ph: © Matteo Zanga

She curates the column Beautiful Minds for Italian Tech (la Repubblica), featuring in-depth profile interviews with outstanding tech and science professionals living and working abroad. The series has reached over 150 weekly installments, published every Sunday, and enjoys a strong following both on Italian Tech and LinkedIn. For Wired (Condé Nast), she writes the column #Cyberpink, exploring the relationship between women and STEM through conversations with leading professionals in science and innovation. She also contributes to Civiltà dei Dati, the new magazine by Fondazione Leonardo ETS, created to make science and technology accessible to younger generations. For StartupItalia, she curates Winds of the Future, a column spotlighting innovators under 30. She previously served as Editor-in-Chief of Millionaire magazine for over a decade. She is the creator and editor of the bestselling books Startup and Silicon Valley, both published by Hoepli. She moderates, organizes, and leads events and roundtables, collaborating with numerous institutions and companies.