Alberto Alemanno, a Leader of the Future
He is one of the 187 leaders of the future, according to a unique annual ranking compiled by the World Economic Forum. The only Italian on the list, he is one of only 39 Europeans. Yet Alberto Alemanno, Jean Monnet Professor of Law at HEC University in Paris, who also teaches at the New York University School of Law, considers this designation "out of the blue, I don't even know who nominated me as a candidate."
A forty-year-old Piedmont native, Alemanno graduated with a Law degree in Turin and a PhD in International Law from Bocconi. He is proud of the appointment that puts him in league with personalities such as UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Google founder Larry Page, ballet star Roberto Bolle and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, all Young Global Leaders in previous years. According to the compilers of the ranking, these people are destined to have influence in their fields, in their countries and often around the world. "I believe that the reason behind my inclusion was related to my research output on hot button issues such as the theory of democracy, participative democracy and public health, which can be used immediately by policy makers," explains Alemanno. "With my work I aim to bridge the gap between pure scientific research and the chance for practical application. In addition, they appreciate the fact that with my work I'm able to get different sectors to communicate with each other, such as the public, the private and the non-profit sectors, who normally do not converse."
In the past, Alemanno worked as a clerk at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg and then he chose a career in academia. He is now founder and scientific director of a unique project, eLabEurope, a "clinic" for European law that involves the two universities where he teaches, HEC Paris and New York University. "We select 20 students from each university, half American and half French. They get legal on-the-job experience during their last year of studies and we offer their services free of charge to individuals and non-governmental institutions actively involved in legal battles of public interest. Students offer opinions and advice, just like real attorneys." The inclusion in the list of the World Economic Forum entails a series of commitments for the immediate future, one more honor in an already full schedule: "For the next six years, the other people recommended by the WEF and I will be involved one week per year in training activities at a different university," says Alemanno. "And we'll also be asked to collaborate in the organization of various panels at the Davos Forum in 2016 and following years, as well as a large number of speeches on various topics."
Alberto Alemanno will return to Bocconi on 14 May, for the "Sustainable Food: Legal and Economic Challenges" conference, where he is a speaker: "Bocconi has acted as a springboard for me and I always come back with pleasure. I have kept in touch with many people in the Department of Legal Studies, with Giorgio Sacerdoti and Claudio Dordi in particular, since we work on the same issues."