The DG of Italy's Doctors Without Borders Totally Rocks

Mick Jagger could be his father, but it's the energy of the Rolling Stones' front man that inspires Gabriele Eminente - director general of Italy's Doctors Without Borders - and helps him face every situation with determination. He has, in fact, a cast of mind which is nourished by a passion for rock music. In 1988 Eminente graduated from Bocconi, having completed the Business Administration program with Roberto Ruozi, and for 15 years he worked in the for-profit sector at Procter & Gamble, Danone and Wind. "I became the director of Amnesty International Italia almost by chance, though not unwittingly. It was 2004, and I held that role until 2009, the year in which I entered Doctors Without Borders as the director of human and financial resources". Since 2013 he has been the director general of the international organization which strives to offer medical-humanitarian assistance in emergency situations. He works in the office, managing both economic resources as well as the 70 people who work in the Rome and Milan offices. "Every time there's a chance to go in the field, I try to take it. Missions are unique and enriching experiences, when you learn how to understand the beauty of what we are doing, also from the 'thank-you' whispered by people who receive our help".

The most complicated part of his job is selecting operators, and not just the doctors, because a mission's success depends on them, as well. "We are always looking for human resources managers and professionals with whom we can entrust in-the-field budgets. But we're also looking for project coordinators who collaborate with the mission supervisor in order to evaluate risks". These professionals represent the efficiency of the course of action promoted by Eminente, and are chosen based on their ability to manage stress, live with others without much privacy, and their inclination to work in multicultural teams. "We require two years of professional experience: a newly graduated doctor will never be sent on a mission, but instead will be encouraged to first work in contexts that are easier than war". Gabriele Eminente's secular vision of life and work helps him guide, for example, six active projects in Syria which include 150 medical aid sites. And he uses the same impartiality in speaking out and denouncing the bombing of the Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan: "We've asked the International Humanitarian Commission to check the facts and provide clarity on what actually happened. The international community must react in order to defend the principles that are set forth by international agreements".