That One Time Marchionne

DEAN FROM 2006 TO 2012, GRANDO REMEMBERS A SPEECH BY THE CEO OF FIAT IN AULA MAGNA THAT BECAME NOTORIOUS SOON AFTER. BUT ALSO THE TRIPLE CROWN, A REORGANIZATION OF THE SCHOOL, AN OVERHAUL OF THE COURSE CATALOG AND THE SDA TEAM'S COMMITMENT

It was an important milestone and the crowning of a pursuit that began in the late '90s and culminated in December 2011. Under the leadership of Alberto Grando, the Triple Crown was achieved, i.e. accreditation at the three leading world bodies, EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB. “This was an important accomplishment,” recalls Grando, Dean of SDA from 2006 to 2012, "that the School achieved in those years; in general, they were wonderful and difficult years, upset by the global crisis triggered by Lehmann Brothers. Companies cut any costs deemed unnecessary, including research and training. And so we began to rethink our offer, to rationalize it. We also imposed stricter criteria for faculty.”
Another big step concerned the School's flagship product, the MBA: “Between 2007 and 2009 we abandoned programs in Italian once and for all, forming two fully international class groups. It was a decision that looked towards the future, but which made it possible in a difficult moment to have a wider pool of candidates to draw on, so much so that we reached 80% international students.” Along with showcasing the most important programs, this choice guaranteed positive results for SDA at a time when many other business schools were floundering. And it was possible, recalls Grando, "because we were able to join forces, playing as a team, with a group of colleagues – faculty and staff – who grew stronger by working together and creating bonds of friendship and respect based on everyone's commitment and generosity."

During his years as Dean, many high-profile events took place in the classrooms on Via Bocconi. One was held in the Aula Magna, and was particularly well-known also outside Bocconi due to the speaker and what he said. "Sergio Marchionne's visit in 2012 came after returning from a trip to the United States where he had participated in meetings with prominent figures. In front of an audience of Alumni, he spoke critically against the protectionist Italian labor market, with Fiat practically closed throughout August, which he saw as totally anachronistic." The Mumbai Asia Center also opened in 2012: “This too took place amidst lots of struggles. But perhaps not everyone knows that we were originally supposed to open in Egypt, not India. We were about to decide on the local partner, then the uprisings of the Arab Spring prompted us to move to another continent.” He continues, "For me perhaps the most exciting moment was the celebration of the School's 40th anniversary, honoring its founder Claudio Dematté: a day filled with memories, excitement and pride that engaged the entire SDA community."

Future executive training will be different. The latest trends, accelerated by the pandemic, can already be seen. What will SDA need to do to remain avant-garde? "Understand how to balance the experiential component of the classroom with digital aspects, continue to innovate and offer its own distinctive model. Because even though technologies drive us towards a specific direction, I am convinced that uniformity should be avoided and that the added value of in-class teaching remains irreplaceable.” Furthermore, Grando continues, “the School will have to increasingly take a position and influence important debates, addressing the research and business communities with equal focus on rigor and relevance.”
 

by Davide Ripamonti
Translated by Jenna Walker