Place of living: Novara, Italy

Position: PR & Communications Leader, Italy & Israel by Lenovo

Describe a day in your life

Let me recap the things I always try to do because it’s not easy to have two days the same in a week. I wake up early, not after 6 am, and I go for a run. Before turning on the PC, I read a newspaper and try to read it all; it is surprising to find out in which newspaper sections it is possible to find new ideas or things that can be useful for my work, outside the pages of technology, of course.

Then, the morning tends to be in front of the PC, which is made up of meetings with colleagues remotely or in person (less and less), briefings, reports, and brainstorming with the public relations agency. The afternoon is similar; lately, it is interrupted around 6 pm when I take my son from the nursery, then in the evening – after Luca, my little boy, goes to bed – I try to take back what I left. I read a lot, and then don’t go to bed very late.

How many projects are you currently working on? 

I’m lucky enough to follow Lenovo pocket to cloud, from smart devices to HPC, right now we have at least two product launches, customer cases to write, telling how they have used our technology successfully, two press trips, and a beautiful communication campaign that we will see before the end of the year. These are the hottest projects, and our work is made up of many problems to solve; at Lenovo, we always say that we have this attitude: we solve problems.

In your opinion, who is the most influential person/company in the world of technology nowadays?

We are in a moment of great transformation. Many brilliant thought leaders have seen before others the epochal revolution that AI will bring to our lives, and they are leading their companies in that direction. To be as all-encompassing as possible, CEOs and companies that are investing in AI are the ones that everyone today is looking at to figure out which path to take.

If you could choose an existing product or project now that you’d like to be involved in, what would it be?

Starlink is for low-latency global broadband satellite internet access. 

What are the three characteristics that make you successful in the tech industry?

Good question. Tech is an extremely fast-paced industry where everything has an expiration date, there’s a lot of pressure, and things are constantly changing. It’s hard to stay there if you don’t have the ability to think strategically, adapt quickly to situations that keep changing, and keep the necessary calm so as not to lose sight of your communication goals. 

What’s the most challenging thing you’ve faced during your career?

Organizing a full-day media experience with our partner’s rival football team on the day of the derby – from the visit to the HQ until the stadium. It was a traumatic event because we lost the match. But I realized I was a pro because no one noted my pout in front of everything. And the press coverage of the activity was amazing.

What is the biggest barrier to entry into the world of technology?

I don’t know because I got into it almost by chance. As one of my mentors once told me, I can say that once you get into it, you never get out of it. You can try as hard as you want, but that’s your world now.

What is your greatest achievement to date?

I hold a role of great responsibility in a company that is constantly growing and boasts a thriving perspective. I am very proud of this, and I consider it a great achievement in my journey. Also, it gave me the opportunity to deal with people who lead this sector.

What do you wish for your career?

I don’t want to set limits; I want to continue like this. I have the ambition to continue working in multicultural, global, heterogeneous teams because they are incredibly stimulating and challenging. 

What are the three most important lessons you’ve learned so far in your career?

The first lesson is to read up; you can’t communicate what you don’t know. Or at least, I still can’t. The second is to think strategically and never take action without having an alternative plan to achieve the result. The third is to be human; in the end, we are all children, fathers, mothers and friends, and it is good not to forget this, even when the pressure is great.

What’s your next goal?

Explaining the benefits of AI in every aspect of our lives is not easy, especially because we may use it without realizing it.

What advice would you give someone who wants to start working in the world of technology?

I don’t feel like a guru in the field, but I can give some advice to those who want to do public relations. The advice is to study mass media, what happens in the newsroom, and the theories of agenda setting. These are the basics for doing my work in any industry or medium.

If you could say anything to your younger self, what would it be?

Always listen before making a decision.

What is the invention of the century in your eyes?

It will be artificial intelligence which will change our lives even more than the smartphone.

What can’t you live without?

Professionally, my PC.

Which famous person would you like to dine with and why?

A famous person in our media sector, I would like to meet again with Peppino Ortoleva, whom I had the honour of having as a professor at the University of Turin. A great thinker, brilliant.

Do you have a person who influences or motivates you?

I have several colleagues, especially my current and previous bosses, and I greatly respect them.

What is the product/service you wish for that isn’t there yet?

The transparent PC? Oh no, we invented that too. Then I’d say teleportation, but I wouldn’t try it first.

What did you dream of creating/inventing/doing as a child?

Teleportation, definitely. 

How has covid-19 changed the way people view technological development?

Technology has helped a lot. Almost all of us were able to work, connect with loved ones, and relax with technology during those difficult times. This situation has generated an acceleration of skills in the use of devices and led people to see the possibilities of using them to improve our lives. What I think is important is the concept that technology is here to stay. We have to learn to use it well and for the good of everyone.