The Magazine

La Stampa: Francesco Profumo – “The ministry only supervises individual acts. Autonomy is not up for discussion”

Source: La Stampa, also in physical edition from June 09th 2024, page 24.


Francesco Profumo: “The ministry only supervises individual acts. Autonomy is not in question”

The former president of Compagnia and Acri: “The system of institutions has antibodies. For appointments, the triad mechanism doesn’t work, a simple indication is better”

By Claudia Luise, June 9th, 2024 at 12:17

4 min reading

“Foundations have the antibodies to overcome complicated moments”. Francesco Profumo, former President of the Compagnia di San Paolo and former President of Acri (l’Associazione di Fondazioni e di Casse di Risparmio italiane) answers the phone while he is at the airport, engaged in his double life as a trainer with the academic institution OPIT (of which he is rector) and an innovator with Isybank, the online bank of Intesa Sanpaolo (of which he is President).

What is your opinion on the Crt Foundation affair?

“I don’t want to go into the Crt issue, because I don’t know the details and it’s not my responsibility, but I can report my personal experience, as a former president of the foundation. In recent months, the Compagnia di San Paolo has undertaken the process of revising its statute and renewing its governance, everything went smoothly and within the expected time frame. I believe that the Society’s statute is a good statute and that it can also be a model for other foundations. As preliminaries to the revision of the statute, which is approximately 10 years old, the new post-pandemic national and European context, the hybrid territorial foundation model and the new operating methods tested in the last 8 years, during my presidency, were posed. The designating bodies have a very important role, because they designate the Councilors of the new governance, with the skills necessary to make the foundation work well collegially. The designations are “dry”, one for each position to be renewed. The Steering Committee constitutes a collegial evaluation of the CV of each designee and votes on their appointment. The Directors thus appointed have no mandate and must work for the good of the foundation and the beneficiaries”.

If a commissioner arrives in Turin, could the “fool” made by the territory also generate repercussions within the Company?

“I do not think so. The Company has demonstrated over the decades that it is a resilient entity, despite natural transitions in governance. Some accidents can happen in a large community like that of foundations, in Italy there are 86, but I believe that there are the right antibodies to bring these events back to the right dimension”.

Is it right for foundations to be controlled at a public level?

“The ruling of the Consulta, 300 of 2003, clarified that foundations are private bodies with full statutory and management autonomy, non-profit, with social objectives, subject to legitimacy supervision of individual acts by the Treasury. So there are all the elements for these bodies to be responsibly autonomous. From this point of view there has been an interesting evolution.”

What was it?

“The thirty years of the foundations can be divided into approximately three decades. The first, from the Amato law (1990) to the Ciampi law (1999), in which well-defined rules did not yet exist and potential beneficiaries asked for resources directly from the foundations, which responded based on availability. The second, from the Ciampi law to the signing of the Acri-MEF protocol (2015), in which the rules were written, for example on the management of assets and on the maximum number of director mandates”.

And now?

“The maturity of the foundations has been underway since 2015. Today they are subjects who act, in the territories, as development agents and, as such, have developed the strategic capacity to define objectives, priorities and methods of intervention and operate in subsidiarity with other third sector subjects, public and private. Many foundations today operate in a hybrid mode: they are not only providers, but also implementers.”

What does this mutation mean?

“Foundations increasingly often implement capacity building, co-planning and results evaluation actions. The Pnrr was a very interesting field of experimentation with excellent results.”

What do you think of Lagarde’s decision to lower rates?

“The European Central Bank acted correctly.”

What path should the ECB take?

“President Lagarde’s words are very clear. “Interest rates must remain restrictive as long as necessary to ensure price stability on a lasting basis. In other words, we will still have to keep our foot on the brake pedal for a while, even if we don’t push as hard as before.”

OPIT, the leading academic institution dedicated to the digital themes, is organizing a meeting at the Grattacielo Intesa Sanpaolo in Turin on Thursday. But why do we need educational programs like this?

“Next will be the second academic year of this new institution which is based in Malta. The fundamental reason is that there is a demand for education that is closely connected to the digital transition, with all that it entails, both from the point of view of skills and the speed of change and uncertainty. Industrial revolutions previously lasted up to 90 years and therefore what you learned in school was enough for a lifetime. This industrial revolution, however, will be very short, it will last about twenty years, so it will be necessary to do more training. And then, while in the other three revolutions there was a partial replacement of people’s muscular strength with a form of energy, now for the first time we have an aid to brain activity.”

What impact does all this have on education?

“By putting these elements together, we understand that the training models and the resulting offer will have to be different compared to the past: they will have to be more diversified (different actors who will play their part in this new world that is being built) and based on a model of people’s lives that surpasses the current one, dictated by a part of studying/training, a part of work and a part of retirement. The reduction of the times of this revolution will ensure that what we have learned in school is not enough and therefore we will need to go back to school several times, unlearning things we have learned and learning new ones. In the first part of life, therefore, we must learn to learn; otherwise, updating skills will become extremely tiring for people. So there is a growing demand to decouple knowledge from skills: the former will last a lifetime, the latter will not. OPIT is an educational offer designed not on the basis of previous experiences, but on the basis of future needs. There are teachers from over 40 countries and the accreditation is done in an English-speaking nation to have a truly international spirit with students from all over the world who can contribute to the creation of this new training culture.”

What role could the Italian foundation for AI, born in Turin a few weeks ago, have?

“It is a little early to say what the operational model of the Foundation will be, the President has just been appointed and the first act will be the start of the selection procedure for the Director. The Director, who is the central figure for the development of the Centre, will have to present the Strategic Plan, which will indicate the main sectors of activity, the skills of the staff who will have to be hired initially and the network of scientific relations at local, Italian and European level , which will be launched in the first two years of the Foundation’s life. The times will not be short, also due to the competition with other similar initiatives, which are developing in Italy and Europe”.

As president of Isybank, how do you combine all the roles?

“Training, research and applications in the artificial intelligence sector are and will be increasingly interesting, with their developments happening in the coming years. We are only at the dawn of a revolution that will profoundly change our way of living, studying and working and we will have to be prepared to manage these transitions. I am sure that the speed of change and the uncertainty of the future will be two characterizing elements of this historical phase and we will have to be very careful not to forget the centrality of man and the ethical aspects with respect to the changes we will have to make. We will have to be very attentive to the education of the new generations, starting from the first years of school, but we will also have to invest with great attention in people already in adulthood, who will have to be accompanied and not abandoned. With reference to Isybank, I have started studying and I hope that in a reasonable time I will be able to make an intellectual and operational contribution to a sector of great importance for our country”.

Related posts

The Value of Hackathons
OPIT - Open Institute of Technology
OPIT - Open Institute of Technology
Jan 5, 2026 6 min read

Bring talented tech experts together, set them a challenge, and give them a deadline. Then, let them loose and watch the magic happen. That, in a nutshell, is what hackathons are all about. They’re proven to be among the most productive tech events when it comes to solving problems and accelerating innovation.

What Is a Hackathon?

Put simply, a hackathon is a short-term event – often lasting just a couple of days, or sometimes even only a matter of hours – where tech experts come together to solve a specific problem or come up with ideas based on a central theme or topic. As an example, teams might be tasked with discovering a new way to use AI in marketing or to create an app aimed at improving student life.

The term combines the words “hack” and “marathon,” due to how participants (hackers or programmers) are encouraged to work around-the-clock to create a prototype, proof-of-concept, or new solution. It’s similar to how marathon runners are encouraged to keep running, putting their skills and endurance to the test in a race to the finish line.

The Benefits of Hackathons

Hackathons provide value both for the companies that organize them and the people who take part. Companies can use them to quickly discover new ideas or overcome challenges, for example, while participants can enjoy testing their skills, innovating, networking, and working either alone or as part of a larger team.

Benefits for Companies and Sponsors

Many of the world’s biggest brands have come to rely on hackathons as ways to drive innovation and uncover new products, services, and opportunities. Meta, for example, the brand behind Facebook, has organized dozens of hackathons, some of which have led to the development of well-known Facebook features, like the “Like” button. Here’s how hackathons help companies:

  • Accelerate Innovation: In fast-moving fields like technology, companies can’t always afford to spend months or years working on new products or features. They need to be able to solve problems quickly, and hackathons create the necessary conditions to deliver rapid success.
  • Employee Development: Leading companies like Meta have started to use annual hackathons as a way to not only test their workforce’s skills but to give employees opportunities to push themselves and broaden their skill sets.
  • Internal Networking: Hackathons also double up as networking events. They give employees from different teams, departments, or branches the chance to work with and learn from one another. This, in turn, can promote or reinforce team-oriented work cultures.
  • Talent Spotting: Talents sometimes go unnoticed, but hackathons give your workforce’s hidden gems a chance to shine. They’re terrific opportunities to see who your best problem solvers and most creative thinkers at.
  • Improving Reputation: Organizing regular hackathons helps set companies apart from their competitors, demonstrating their commitment to innovation and their willingness to embrace new ideas. If you want your brand to seem more forward-thinking and innovative, embracing hackathons is a great way to go about it.

Benefits for Participants

The hackers, developers, students, engineers, and other people who take part in hackathons arguably enjoy even bigger and better benefits than the businesses behind them. These events are often invaluable when it comes to upskilling, networking, and growing, both personally and professionally. Here are some of the main benefits for participants, explained:

  • Learning and Improvement: Hackathons are golden opportunities for participants to gain knowledge and skills. They essentially force people to work together, sharing ideas, contributing to the collective, and pushing their own boundaries in pursuit of a common goal.
  • Networking: While some hackathons are purely internal, others bring together different teams or groups of people from different schools, businesses, and places around the world. This can be wonderful for forming connections with like-minded individuals.
  • Sense of Pride: Everyone feels a sense of pride after accomplishing a project or achieving a goal, but this often comes at the end of weeks or months of effort. With hackathons, participants can enjoy that same satisfying feeling after just a few hours or a couple of days of hard work.
  • Testing Oneself: A hackathon is an amazing chance to put one’s skills to the test and see what one is truly capable of when given a set goal to aim for and a deadline to meet. Many participants are surprised to see how well they respond to these conditions.
  • Boosting Skills: Hackathons provide the necessary conditions to hone and improve a range of core soft skills, such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, organization, and punctuality. By the end, participants often emerge with more confidence in their abilities.

Hackathons at OPIT

The Open Institute of Technology (OPIT) understands the unique value of hackathons and has played its part in sponsoring these kinds of events in the past. OPIT was one of the sponsors behind ESCPHackathon 6, for example, which involved 120 students given AI-related tasks, with mentorship and guidance from senior professionals and developers from established brands along the way.

Marco Fediuc, one of the participants, summed up the mood in his comments:

“The hackathon was a truly rewarding experience. I had the pleasure of meeting OPIT classmates and staff and getting to know them better, the chance to collaborate with brilliant minds, and the opportunity to take part in an exciting and fun event.

“Participating turned out to be very useful because I had the chance to work in a fast-paced, competitive environment, and it taught me what it means to stay calm and perform under pressure… To prospective Computer Science students, should a similar opportunity arise, I can clearly say: Don’t underestimate yourselves!”

The new year will also see the arrival of OPIT Hackathon 2026, giving more students the chance to test their skills, broaden their networks, and enjoy the one-of-a-kind experiences that these events never fail to deliver. This event is scheduled to be held February 13-15, 2026, and is open to all OPIT Bachelor’s and Master’s students, along with recent graduates. Interested parties have until February 1 to register.

Read the article
OPIT’s First Career Fair
OPIT - Open Institute of Technology
OPIT - Open Institute of Technology
Jan 5, 2026 6 min read

The Open Institute of Technology (OPIT) recently held its first-ever career fair to showcase its wide array of career education options and services. Representatives from numerous high-profile international companies were in attendance, and students enjoyed unprecedented opportunities to connect with business leaders, expand their professional networks, and pave the way for success in their future careers.

Here’s a look back at the event and how it ties into OPIT’s diverse scope of career services.

Introducing OPIT

For those who aren’t yet familiar, OPIT is an EU-accredited Higher Education Institution, offering online degrees in technological fields such as computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital business. Aimed at making high-level tech education accessible to all, OPIT has assembled a stellar team of tutors and experts to train the tech leaders of tomorrow.

The First OPIT Career Fair

OPIT’s first career fair was held on November 19 and 20. And as with OPIT’s lectures, it was an exclusively online event, which ensured that every attendee had equal access to key lectures and information. Interested potential students from all over the world were able to enjoy the same great experience, demonstrating a core principle that OPIT has championed from the very start – the principles of accessibility and the power of virtual learning.

More than a dozen leading international companies took part in the event, with the full guest list including representatives from:

  • Deloitte
  • Dylog Hitech
  • EDIST Engineering Srl
  • Tinexta Cyber
  • Datapizza
  • RWS Group
  • WE GRELE FRANCE
  • Avatar Investments
  • Planet Farms
  • Coolshop
  • Hoist Finance Italia
  • Gruppo Buffetti S.p.A
  • Nesperia Group
  • Fusion AI Labs
  • Intesi Group
  • Reply
  • Mindsight Ventures

This was a fascinating mix of established enterprises and emerging players. Deloitte, for example, is one of the largest professional services networks in the world in terms of both revenue and number of employees. Mindsight Ventures, meanwhile, is a newer but rapidly emerging name in the fields of AI and business intelligence.

The Response

The first OPIT career fair was a success, with many students in attendance expressing their joy at being able to connect with such a strong lineup of prospective employers.

OPIT Founder and Director Riccardo Ocleppo had this to say:

“I often say internally that our connection with companies – through masterclasses, thesis and capstone projects, and career opportunities – is the ‘cherry on the cake’ of the OPIT experience!

“It’s also a core part of our mission: making higher education more practical, more connected, and more aligned with what happens in the real world.

“Our first Career Fair says a lot about our commitment to building an end-to-end learning and professional growth experience for our community of students.

“Thank you to the Student and Career Services team, and to Stefania Tabi for making this possible.”

Representatives from some of the companies that attended also shared positive impressions of the event. A representative from Nesperia Group, for example, said:

“Nesperia Group would like to thank OPIT for the warm welcome we received during the OPIT Career Day. We were pleased to be part of the event because we met many talented young professionals. Their curiosity and their professional attitude really impressed us, and it’s clear that OPIT is doing an excellent job supporting their growth. We really believe that events like these are important because they can create a strong connection between companies and future professionals.”

The Future

Given the enormous success of the first OPIT career fair, it’s highly likely that students will be able to enjoy more events like this in the years to come. OPIT is clearly committed to making the most of its strong business connections and remarkable network to provide opportunities for growth, development, and employment, bringing students and businesses together.

Future events will continue to allow students to connect with some of the biggest businesses in the world, along with emerging names in the most exciting and innovative tech fields. This should allow OPIT graduates to enter the working world with strong networks and firm connections already established. That, in turn, should make it easier for them to access and enjoy a wealth of beneficial professional opportunities.

Given that OPIT also has partnerships in place with numerous other leading organizations, like Hype, AWS, and Accenture, the number and variety of the companies potentially making appearances at career fairs in the future should no doubt increase dramatically.

Other Career Services at OPIT

The career fair is just one of many ways in which OPIT leverages its company connections and offers professional opportunities and career support to its students. Other key career services include:

  • Career Coaching: Students are able to schedule one-on-one sessions with their own mentors and career advisors. They can receive feedback on their resumes, practice and improve their interview skills, or work on clear action plans that align with their exact professional goals.
  • Resource Hub: The OPIT Resource Hub is jam-packed with helpful guides and other resources to help students plan out and take smart steps in their professional endeavors. With detailed insights and practical tips, it can help tech graduates get off to the best possible start.
  • Career Events: The career fair is only one of several planned career-related events organized by OPIT. Other events are planned to give students the chance to learn from and engage with industry experts and leading tech firms, with workshops, career skills days, and more.
  • Internships: OPIT continues to support students after graduation, offering internship opportunities with leading tech firms around the world. These internships are invaluable for gaining experience and forging connections, setting graduates up for future success.
  • Peer Mentoring: OPIT also offers a peer mentoring program in which existing students can team up with OPIT alumni to enjoy the benefits of their experience and unique insights.

These services – combined with the recent career day – clearly demonstrate OPIT’s commitment to not merely educating the tech leaders of the future, but also to supporting their personal and professional development beyond the field of education, making it easier for them to enter the working world with strong connections and unrivaled opportunities.

Read the article