Executive Master in Business Administration (EMBA) Graduation Ceremony

On Saturday, 23 May 2026, the Auditorium of the Università della Svizzera italiana hosted the graduation ceremony for the thirteenth edition of the Executive Master in Business Administration (EMBA). The event marked a major milestone for the participants, who successfully completed an intensive academic and professional journey, sharing this achievement with family, friends, Faculty, and members of the USI community.

The ceremony opened with an address by the EMBA Academic Director, Professor Paulo Gonçalves, who highlighted the value of lifelong learning, responsible leadership, and the ability to navigate constantly evolving economic and organisational landscapes. A Full Professor of Management at USI, Prof. Gonçalves earned his PhD in Management Science from the MIT Sloan School of Management. He has been teaching at USI for over fifteen years, focusing his research on system dynamics simulation, behavioural experiments, and econometrics, while also collaborating on numerous international humanitarian projects dedicated to strategic emergency and resource management.

A particularly meaningful highlight of the evening featured addresses by two USI EMBA Alumni—now established professionals in their respective fields—who shared their managerial and personal insights with the graduates.

Samantha Caccamo, Founder & CEO of Social Business Earth and an EMBA8 Alumna, spoke about her international career in social entrepreneurship and sustainable development. In her speech, she emphasised the importance of authentic leadership driven not only by economic value creation but also by social and environmental impact. Drawing from her own professional journey, she invited the graduates to leverage the managerial skills developed during the Executive MBA to champion sustainable and responsible business models.

Next, Matthias Anderegg, Market Area Manager for UBS Switzerland AG in Corporate Banking and an EMBA12 Alumnus, shared his reflections on resilience within the banking and financial sector. Drawing on his extensive background in corporate banking, Matthias Anderegg highlighted how the EMBA programme helped shape his decision-making, managerial, and interpersonal skills within increasingly complex and dynamic professional environments.

During the ceremony, participants from the EMBA 2024–2026 class, representing diverse professional and cultural backgrounds, were officially awarded their diplomas. The cohort brings together professionals active across finance, insurance, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, healthcare, education, research, law, and technology, underscoring the interdisciplinary and international character of the programme.

The graduates, along with their nationalities and corporate base locations, are listed below:

• Daniel Andjelkovic, Switzerland, Switzerland
• Fabio Amicarelli, Italy, Switzerland
• Brian Bottanelli, Italy, Italy
• Stefano Briguglio, Italy, Switzerland
• Matteo Calzascia, Switzerland, Switzerland
• Elisa Cordì, Italy, Switzerland
• Alessandro D'Amario, Switzerland, Switzerland
• Ilaria Eccetto, Italy, Switzerland
• Carlo Ercole, Italy, Switzerland
• Andrea Foglia, Switzerland, Switzerland
• Stefano Giacomelli, Italy, Switzerland
• Simona Lorenzi, Italy, Switzerland
• Devis Meroni, Switzerland, Switzerland
• Denise Peretti, Italy, Italy
• Aramis Sardi, Switzerland, Switzerland

The audience particularly enjoyed the final presentation by the EMBA13 participants. In an engaging and lively speech, they looked back at their eighteen months in the programme, recalling the intensive weekends, group work, assignments, international study tours, and personal growth. The speech highlighted key themes, including collaboration, team spirit, adaptability, leadership, and the invaluable support from families and colleagues along the way.

Following the presentation of diplomas, participants and guests gathered for a standing drinks reception—a perfect opportunity to strengthen professional networks and celebrate the milestone together.

The USI Executive Master in Business Administration continues to champion development and innovation, offering experienced professionals an advanced, weekend-format management education designed to balance academic growth with ongoing professional careers.