Day 2 - Panel 4 - Patterns for Success in Global Markets - NYC 2025 Italian Symposium

Day 2 - Panel 4 at the 2025 Italian Symposium featuring Alessandro Benetton, Andrea Valeri & Francesca Cornelli

“This panel presents an exemplary case of cross-border investment—the privatization and transformation of Atlantia into Mundys. As Alessandro Benetton, Andrea Valeri and Francesca Cornelli guide the audience through this structured case study, they will reflect on the importance of structuring enduring partnership, aligning strategic priorities across cultures, and learning from commercial experience when navigating global markets. This discussion will outline the architecture of resilient and impactful international partnerships, as well as how it can be employed to foster transatlantic collaboration across private and public spheres. 

Alessandro Benetton is an Italian entrepreneur and investor, currently President of Edizione S.p.A. and Vice Chairman of Mundys (formerly Atlantia). He is the founder of 21 Invest, a pioneering private equity firm with offices in Treviso, Milan, Paris, and Warsaw, credited with revitalizing numerous companies across Europe, including Pittarosso and The Space Cinema. A graduate of Boston University and Harvard Business School, Benetton began his career at Goldman Sachs International in London, working in M&A and equity offerings. He later served as Chairman of Benetton Formula (1988–1998), leading the F1 team to historic victories, including two world championships with Michael Schumacher. From 2012 to 2014, he chaired the Benetton Group, and in 2022, he published his professional memoir La Traiettoria. He has also held leadership and advisory roles with Autogrill, Dufry, Robert Bosch, and the Cortina Foundation 2021, where he led Italy’s first major sustainable sports event. In 2022, he joined the Board of Directors of Parthenope University of Naples.

Francesca Cornelli is Dean of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where she also holds the Donald P. Jacobs Chair of Finance. An esteemed economist, she is recognized for her research in corporate governance, private equity, IPOs, bankruptcy, innovation policy, and privatization. She is also the co-founder of AFFECT, an initiative by the American Finance Association to promote gender diversity in financial research. Before joining Kellogg, Cornelli was a Professor of Finance, Director of Private Equity, and Deputy Dean at London Business School, where she was the first woman to be appointed full professor. She holds a degree in Economics from Università Bocconi and a Ph.D. from Harvard University. She has held academic positions at leading institutions, including Wharton, Duke, LSE, and the Indian School of Business. Cornelli serves as an editor for the Review of Financial Studies and is affiliated with CEPR, ECGI, and the Society of Financial Intermediation. She has also served on numerous advisory and editorial boards, including those of the Banque de France Foundation and the American Finance Association.

Andrea Valeri is a Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, where he serves as Co-Chief Investment Officer for Blackstone Credit and Insurance’s (BXCI) European and APAC private credit businesses, and is also Chairman of Blackstone Italy. Previously, he was part of Blackstone’s Tactical Opportunities Group, where he led key investments including Center Parcs and JOA Group. Before joining Blackstone, he worked as a Vice President at Goldman Sachs and began his career at Bain & Company. Mr. Valeri holds an MBA from Columbia University, where he graduated with honors, and a Master’s in Engineering and Management from the University of Padua, graduating magna cum laude. He currently serves on the boards of De Nora, JOA Group, Beauparc, Murka, and SuperBet.