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heard inspiring leaders talk about making the world a better place. As a 'Next Gen' myself, I joined the Family Business Community. There I discovered impact investing, which in turn led me to take the Harvard Kennedy School course Impact Investing for the Next Generation. Working on projects with other Next Gen associates has given me a taste of courses and case study groups at Harvard, and I love it. I have since, through our family office, been eyeing for investment projects that could make a measurable positive difference on communities around the world.

Finally, I'd like to talk about awakening.

After decades of managing and growing his company, my father returned to his original passion of sharing "wellness" to build sustainable communities. He created the "Wellness Foundation," a non-profit aiming to bring healthy lifestyles to people around the world. One of our international partners is the Clinton Foundation, and during our annual Wellness Congress in 2012, former President Clinton even delivered the keynote speech and I am currently helping to bring high profile speakers to our 25th Congress that will be held next year.

For our local community in Italy, I have been involved in the development of the "Wellness Valley," a socially innovative project urging all our stakeholders to strengthen civic attitudes and culture towards healthy living for human-centric prevention and sustainability. Our long-term goal is to recreate this model in communities worldwide, allowing governments to reduce healthcare costs, companies to increase productivity, and people in general to improve their quality of life.
For several years, this project was, like Technogym, an endeavour outside my job at Luxottica. I joined that company as a marketing intern and was soon promoted to manage an important licensed brand, Tiffany&Co. It turned out my previous experience had prepared me well for this first big management opportunity, and I truly enjoyed it.
Exploring the workings of a complex international firm of 80,000 employees, I began to re-examine my family's business. When Technogym had its IPO in early 2016, I joined its Board of Directors and looked deep into the company's potential and my own role. The time was right to take on new responsibilities. Resigning from Luxottica and training my replacement, I dove into a new Technogym project, the first of its kind. I'm currently working with the Senior Retail VP to develop a B2C sales channel through new experiential stores in Milan and London, where I direct staff, strategy, and new revenue streams. Moreover, I recently took responsibility over the development of a new business unit with the launch of a clothing line, including the evaluation of potential partnerships and acquisitions, aimed at increasing our presence in the consumer sector at a higher pace. These are uphill endeavours, but I am energetic to face them. My two years on the Board of Enervit – a listed health-food company, and another family business – have given me useful insights.
Leadership is both a burden and a blessing – having control can also isolate you – that is why I want to get all I can from the 360° training and feedback of an HBS MBA. I don't want to be just a founder's daughter; I want to be a leader in my own right. I am a passionate person with vision, intuition and an ability to think laterally – a key asset, I think, for Technogym. Taking charge will be a challenge, but I am sure that with my determination I will be able to demonstrate the autonomy and leadership to take Technogym into the next era. After the MBA, I plan to spend several years in the US to push the company's expansion in the world's largest wellness/fitness market – despite a strong international reputation, our market share in the US is still modest; I see the opportunity to grow our presence into a leading position, and earning the best training to prepare for that is my next step.

Now you understand more about me, my family, our company and why my dream has brought me to you. I have worked hard to learn from peers, friends, and mentors and will continue to do so in a new setting that will help me grow – as a woman, a manager, a leader, and, I hope, an example to others.

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