PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

School Director & Entrepreneur | Kids&Us | 2023 – Present
Launched and scaled a new franchise location from ground zero, building it into a leading local English language school.

  • Spearheaded the full startup lifecycle, from initial setup and licensing to full operational launch, establishing a new business in the educational sector.

  • Drove rapid customer acquisition and growth, scaling the student body to 250+ students in less than three years through targeted local marketing and community engagement strategies.

  • Manage full P&L, operational budget, and a team of instructors, ensuring high-quality service delivery and operational excellence.

  • Key Achievements Demonstrate: Entrepreneurial Leadership, Rapid Scaling, P&L Management, Operational Start-Up, Stakeholder Relations.

"After years of driving strategy for global corporations, opening and scaling the Kids&Us school allowed to empower hands-on entrepreneurial environment proving direct impact of leadership. A practical masterclass in launching a venture, managing P&L, and driving growth from the ground up—all skills that are directly transferable to leading a business unit or a complex portfolio of projects in a corporate setting, reinforcing core belief that strong strategic planning, stakeholder management, and clear communication are the bedrock of success



Founder & Managing Director | Studio SdR | 2016 – Present
Founded and led a consultancy specializing in PMO and strategic communications for the luxury, automotive, and FMCG sectors.

  • Drove 180% revenue growth in two years by securing and nurturing flagship partnerships with Barilla, Jaguar, Smeg, and Rolex.

  • Architected and implemented the client PMO function, standardizing project governance, risk management, and reporting across a multi-million euro portfolio, ensuring >95% on-time and on-budget delivery.

  • Directed a portfolio of high-impact philanthropic and artistic events, leveraging exceptional locations to forge powerful connections between business and culture:

    • Produced a benefit gala at the Palazzo Ducale di Parma for the Polo Oncologico di Parma cancer research, uniting major sponsors Smeg, Barilla, and Conad Italia.

Orchestrated a month-long art exhibition at the historic Castello di Rossena with Jaguar as key sponsor, enhancing brand prestige through exclusive wine-tasting events.

    • Served as Communication & Fundraising Director for a prestigious event at Rome's Stadio dei Marmi as part of the Grand Tour, with Rolex as the main sponsor.

  • Curated all online and offline press relations for these campaigns, securing major media coverage and consistently bridging the worlds of corporate sponsorship, high art, and philanthropy to dramatically enhance client brand awareness.

Studio SDR was launched to address a market need for integrated leadership that could seamlessly fuse rigorous PMO discipline with high-level Strategic Communications”.

Communications Strategist & PMO IVECO (Fiat Group) | 2013 – 2016
Spearheaded transformative initiatives that directly linked employee well-being to business performance and fiscal discipline.

  • Orchestrated a group-wide health campaign that simultaneously achieved a 25% reduction in employee smokers and contributed to a 30% surge in business activity, demonstrating the tangible ROI of strategic internal communications.

  • Drove significant cost efficiencies by delivering all project objectives while saving over 10% of the allocated budget through proactive negotiation and rigorous vendor management.

·       Concurrent Role: Communications Consultant & PMO | GEA NIRO SOAVI (Global leader in high-pressure processing technology) – Advised the Administrative Director’s office on a new external communication framework for market entry, contributing to a 100% increase in annual income.

 

 

Communications Director | STEF (European Leader in Temperature-Controlled Logistics) | 2011 – 2013

Directed the post-merger integration of communication functions across Italy and France, following the acquisition of multiple boutique entities.

  • Strategic Planning & Execution: Developed and deployed a holistic, multi-channel communication strategy to unify the corporate narrative, ensuring brand cohesion and mitigating cultural friction between Italian and French teams.

  • Stakeholder Management & Alignment: Served as the key liaison for C-suite executives and department heads across both nations, facilitating workshops and briefing sessions to align all stakeholders with the new, unified corporate vision.

  • Change Management Leadership: Designed and delivered all internal communications to manage the change process, successfully transitioning over 500 employees to the new integrated corporate structure with minimal disruption.

  • Brand Harmonization: Consolidated disparate brand identities and messaging from acquired boutiques into a single, powerful master brand, standardizing all external collateral and digital presence.

 

PMO & Corporate Communications Director | Danone Nations Cup Project | 2010 – 2011

Orchestrated institutional relations and global stakeholder engagement for a flagship international youth sports event, navigating highly sensitive diplomatic and philanthropic channels.

  • High-Stakes Diplomatic Liaison: Acted as the primary communication link between the Vatican City, Haitian government delegations, and the Italian National Football Team, managing all protocols and ensuring flawless diplomatic and media relations.

  • Crisis & Sensitivity Management: Developed and implemented communication protocols for a post-earthquake humanitarian context, ensuring all messaging was culturally sensitive, respectful, and aligned with the event's charitable mission.

  • Philanthropic Partnership & Fundraising: Secured and structured a major six-figure international sponsorship, channeling 100% of the funds as a charitable donation to the Saint Damien Hospital in Haiti, significantly enhancing the event's social impact and global reputation.

  • Global PR Strategy: Managed the international press corps, securing positive coverage in key global markets and positioning the event as a powerful vehicle for social good.

 

Communication PMO | Parma Football Club | 2008 – 2010
Pioneered the club's successful market entry into China by architecting a diplomatic and commercial strategy that delivered measurable growth in revenue, media presence, and talent pipeline.

  • Forged a strategic government partnership with the Italian Embassy in China, serving as primary diplomatic liaison to unlock and structure the official market-entry framework.

  • Spearheaded global sponsorship acquisition that generated €1.5M+ in new revenue and secured a 25% increase in global media share on premier networks including Eurosport, CNN, and Sky.

  • Drove brand growth and talent acquisition by launching a youth development campaign that directly fueled a 32% surge in new youth player registrations, establishing a long-term foundation for the club in the region.

 

Visiting Professor & Lecturer | University of Rome "Tor Vergata" & University of San Marino | 2006 – 2008

  • University of Rome "Tor Vergata" (Department of Economics & Business): Held the professorship for "Communication in Sport Management," lecturing on the integration of strategic communications within the global sports business.

  • University of San Marino: Designed and delivered seminars on "Communication Strategy and Mindful Leadership for New Business Strategies," focusing on the application of conscious leadership principles to drive innovative business models.

 

Official Interpreter for the Judiciary | Procura della Repubblica Italiana (Prosecutor Raffaele Guariniello) | 2000 – 2006
Provided high-fidelity legal interpretation and translation for the Italian Public Prosecutor's Office in complex criminal cases and investigations.

  • Served as lead interpreter for Prosecutor Raffaele Guariniello, working on major trials including the "Thyssen Trial", facilitating precise communication between Italian, English, German, and French-speaking defendants, witnesses, and legal counsel.

  • Provided consecutive and simultaneous interpretation during court proceedings, ensuring absolute linguistic accuracy and neutrality in a high-pressure environment.

  • Acted as interpreter for law enforcement during official evidence-gathering inspections, including operations related to the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino.

 

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS

  • LIS Italian Sign Language Academy, Rome (IT) | 2022 – Ongoing

  • PhD in Comunicazione e Semiologia | Alma Mater Studiorum University, Forlì (IT) | 2013

  • Master Degree in Germanistics and European Languages | Martin Luther Universität, Halle (DE) | 1997

  • Research Program, International Communication Studies | University College London (UK) | 1998

  • Laurea in Lingue, Letteratura e Filosofie Straniere | Università degli studi di Parma (IT) | 2000

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

  • Cocktale mon amour | ISSN 9788897819585

  • Arno Schmidt e la Sua lingua in Zettels Traum | ISSN 9788897819486 (Archived in the German National Library, 2018)

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

  • Literary Scientist Title | Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (German National Library) | 2018

    • Officially recognized and honored by Germany's central archival library for scholarly contribution to literature, culminating in the inclusion of the authored work "Arno Schmidt e la Sua lingua in Zettels Traum" into its permanent collection.