ITA
The new edition of Purpose Day, the only event in Italy entirely dedicated to the theme of Purpose, was held on Thursday 16 October at Milan’s prestigious Teatro Lirico Giorgio Gaber.
Event speakers
The central theme of Purpose Day 2026
Purpose is the strategic force that can guide technology towards a desirable future, one which is chosen rather than being endured. It’s not just about innovation, but about giving direction and meaning to progress: technology inspired by values, capable of stimulating individual creativity, fostering sustainable business models, and generating wellbeing for society. In an ever-shifting environment, Purpose becomes the engine that anticipates scenarios and transforms change into opportunity, generating tangible and positive impacts for people, businesses and communities. For this reason, this year’s central theme will be “Driving Technology to Shape Meaningful Futures.”
AGENDA
9:30
Purpose Is a Reality We Create, opening speech by Eileen Akbaraly, Founder and CEO of Made for a Woman
9:40
Institutional Welcome by Donatella Sciuto, Rector of Politecnico di Milano, and Vittorio Chiesa, President of POLIMI Graduate School of Management
9:55
Purpose as a Link Between Personal Experience and Collective Responsibility by Arrigo Berni, Partner at The Mind At Work and Adjunct Professor at POLIMI Graduate School of Management
10:05
Keynote Speech by Francesco Starace, Former CEO of ENEL, Partner at EQT Group, and President of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)
10:20
Interview and Final Q&A with Paul Polman, Former CEO of Unilever, Chair of the Board at Saïd Business School, and SDG Advocate - conducted by Mario Calderini, Professor at POLIMI Graduate School of Management
11:05
Creating a better everyday life: Purpose in action through people, planet and progress, video Message by Belén Frau Uriarte, Global Communication & Positioning Manager, Ingka Group IKEA
11:15
Coffee Break
11:45
Unleashing human potential for sustainable change by Luciano Traquandi, Adjunct Professor at POLIMI Graduate School of Management
11:55
Banks, society, and the economic system between present and future, interview with Andrea Orcel, CEO of UniCredit Group - conducted by Marco Giorgino, Full Professor of Financial Markets and Institutions and Financial Risk Management at Politecnico di Milano and POLIMI Graduate School of Management
12:25
Why purpose-based leadership strategies fail by Rodolphe Durand, Joly Family Professor of Purposeful Leadership and Academic Director of the Purpose Center at HEC Paris
12:35
Questions and Answers moderated by Luciano Traquandi, Adjunct Professor at POLIMI Graduate School of Management
12:45
Break
13:45
Investing in childhood, investing in the future by Daniela Fatarella, CEO of Save the Children Italy
13:55
Presentation of the “Purpose In Action” Observatory Research by Josip Kotlar, Scientific Director of the Purpose in Action Observatory and Scientific Co-Director of the Family Office Observatory at Politecnico di Milano, Rosario Sica, Former CEO Open Knowledge and Adjunct Professor of Strategy and Innovation in the Age of AI at POLIMI Graduate School of Management, and Rodolphe Durand, Joly Family Professor of Purposeful Leadership and Academic Director of the Purpose Center at HEC Paris
14:20
Leadership as meaning making by Roberto Verganti, Professor at the Stockholm School of Economics and Co-founder of Leadin’Lab, Politecnico di Milano
14:30
Purpose-full AI – An inflexion point by Darren Rudkin, Founder of The Mind At Work
14:40
How purpose can unlock exceptional performance across all stakeholder groups, interview with Gary Lubner, Philanthropist & Former CEO of Belron - conducted by Darren Rudkin, Founder of The Mind At Work
15:05
Purpose at the Core: Social Entrepreneurs and the Human-Technology Dynamic by Sophie Bacq, Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at IMD Business School
15:20
Questions and Answers with Sophie Bacq, Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at IMD Business School and Darren Rudkin, Founder of The Mind At Work - moderated by Roberto Verganti, Professor at the Stockholm School of Economics and Co-founder of Leadin’Lab, Politecnico di Milano
15:30
Award Ceremony for the “Leave Your Mark” Project
15:50
Radical innovation for transformative change by Irene Bengo, Associate Professor at the Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano
16:00
Impact Integrity in the post-sustainability era Panel by Laura Burdese, Deputy CEO of Bvlgari, Mirja Cartia d’Asero, President of Clessidra Holding and Clessidra Private Equity SGR, Silvia Rovere, President of Poste Italiane S.p.A. and CEO of Equita Real Estate - moderated by Irene Bengo, Associate Professor at the Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano
16:30
The Future of ESG by Alex Edmans, Professor at London Business School
16:50
Closing remarks
Streaming
Organisers
POLIMI Graduate School of Management
We inspire the business leaders of tomorrow and the companies at which they work, knowing that we can play a crucial role in creating a better future for all. We believe that education is of fundamental importance, as it provides tomorrow’s leaders with the skills and experience they will need to face our society’s most important challenges. Our School, which was founded over 40 years ago in Milan as MIP Politecnico di Milano, is today a non-profit joint-stock consortium company, made up of the University and a group of leading Italian and international companies.
Find out more
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POLIMI Graduate School of Management
We inspire the business leaders of tomorrow and the companies at which they work, knowing that we can play a crucial role in creating a better future for all. We believe that education is of fundamental importance, as it provides tomorrow’s leaders with the skills and experience they will need to face our society’s most important challenges. Our School, which was founded over 40 years ago in Milan as MIP Politecnico di Milano, is today a non-profit joint-stock consortium company, made up of the University and a group of leading Italian and international companies.
Find out more
Find out more
HEC Paris S&O Institute Purpose Center
We aim at unleashing human potential by placing purpose at the heart of leadership, for a more responsible economy. As such, the Purpose Center directly serves HEC Paris' mission to shape the leaders of tomorrow who understand that their obligations go beyond the bottom line and contribute to the greater good in society.
Find out more
Find out more
HEC Paris S&O Institute Purpose Center
We aim at unleashing human potential by placing purpose at the heart of leadership, for a more responsible economy. As such, the Purpose Center directly serves HEC Paris' mission to shape the leaders of tomorrow who understand that their obligations go beyond the bottom line and contribute to the greater good in society.
Find out more
Find out more
Past Editions
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