Corporate Affairs and the Non-Market Arena: Dialogue Between Business, Academia, and Institutions at SDA Bocconi

SDA Bocconi School of Management recently hosted the event “From Institutional Relations to Corporate Affairs: Organizational Solutions for Competing in the Non-Market Arena”, organized by the Network PARI – Public Affairs e Relazioni Istituzionali – in collaboration with Excellera Advisory Group. The event brought together corporate leaders, academics, and policy experts for a full day of discussions on the increasingly strategic role of Corporate Affairs in business decision-making and engagement with regulatory and institutional environments.

Following the opening remarks by Dean Stefano Caselli, the event was introduced by Luca Brusati, Academic Director of the PARI Network and faculty member at SDA Bocconi, who co-led the proceedings with Paolo Zanetto, CEO of Excellera. The first session focused on the ongoing evolution of key corporate functions—communication, sustainability, and public affairs—emphasizing how these areas are becoming more integrated into strategies designed to address non-market challenges.

Speakers such as Michele Rillo (Iliad), Anastasia Buda (Samsung Electronics Italia), Simona Finazzo (Edenred Italia), and Paul Holmes (PRovoke Media) provided valuable perspectives on emerging trends both in Italy and internationally.

The second part of the event delved into the organizational solutions adopted by companies and associations to build effective Public Affairs functions. Contributions from Chiara Moroni (Bristol Myers Squibb) and Alessandro Maggioni (ANIMA) were followed by the presentation of the first national study on the organizational structures of this function. Based on a survey of over one hundred companies, trade associations, and nonprofit organizations, the study offered a detailed overview of how Public Affairs is being structured in practice.

The event concluded with a roundtable discussion on the future development of the function, moderated by Monica Otto, Director of Executive Education for the Government, Health, and Non-Profit Division at SDA Bocconi. Panelists included Giulio Di Giacomo (FiberCop), Barbara Del Sala (Baker Hughes), Luca Zuccotti (Seacom – Ascom Parma Group), Sergio Valentini (Transparency International Italia), and once again, Paolo Zanetto.

With this event, SDA Bocconi confirms its position as the only academic institution in Italy to have established a structured community dedicated to Public Affairs Management. Through research, professional dialogue, and specialized executive training, the PARI Network—alongside Italy’s first executive course on the topic—has become a key point of reference for professionals involved in strategic engagement with policymakers and regulatory stakeholders.