Rome Business School, part of Planeta Formación Universidades—an international network of 22 educational institutions created by De Agostini and Grupo Planeta—celebrates its 2026 Graduation Ceremony at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome, marking the completion of studies for 3,504 students representing 148 different nationalities, in front of an audience of families, corporate partners, and international university partners for a total of over 5,000 participants including professors and family members.
Among the guests of honor, Silvio Ursini, Executive Vice President of the Bulgari Group and Head of the Hotels & Resorts division, is this year’s Ceremony Patron. A Georgetown University graduate, Silvio Ursini joined Bulgari in 1989, leading the creation of Bulgari Hotels & Resorts since 2001. Today, he is Executive Vice President of the Group and Special Advisor for Hospitality at LVMH. He joins the list of Patrons from recent editions, which over the years has included Nicola Drago (Executive Vice Chairman of the De Agostini Group, 2025), Nico Losito (Vice President of IBM Technology Italy, 2024), and Giovanni Ravasio (VP of Cloud Applications Italy and Iberia at Oracle, 2023).
In his address, the patron turned to the graduating students, saying: “vwe live in a society oriented toward increasingly specialized tasks, but to be great managers, you must also nurture your humanity: find time for culture, art, and your spiritual life. This matters even more today, as AI challenges the world of work, but never forget that only we are capable of true creativity and thinking beyond the conventional—and that is precisely what you are called to do. Always remember to treat people with respect, kindness, and dignity, and in doing so, you will build not only successful companies but a better world.”
Among the most significant moments was the presentation of awards, celebrating the excellence of students, faculty, and companies that distinguished themselves throughout the year. The Graduation Patron Impact Award was presented to Silvio Ursini, while among the teaching awards, the Online Teaching Excellence Award went to Professor Andrea Ciceri, Program Director of the International Online Master in Neuromarketing and Customer Experience; the On Campus Teaching Excellence Award was presented to Professor Federico Coccia, of the International Master in Marketing and Sales; and the Program Director Recognition Award went to Professor Silvia Bellucci, Program Director of the International Master in Data Science.
This year, the RBS4Entrepreneurship Award was granted to SKYA, a startup that uses conversational artificial intelligence to automate candidate screening during recruitment, born right out of the RBS4Entrepreneurship program. Rounding out the list of awardees, the Talent Partner Award, presented to the company that recruited the highest number of Rome Business School students during the year, went to Deloitte; accepting the recognition was Fabrizio Del Gobbo, Employer Branding Manager at the company.
Taking the stage were also three representatives of the Class of 2026. Lucija Bubric, from Croatia, a graduate of the International Master in Finance, reflected in particular on her experience at the Rome Bootcamp, where her team pitched a project to Microsoft under the mentorship of corporate leaders including KPMG: “Success is never purely individual: it also stems from the people who challenge us, inspire us, and grow alongside us,” she stated. Joining her on stage were Chiara Baratta (Italy, Executive Master in Marketing and Sales) and Joan Betanco (Honduras, International MBA).
Crossing the stage were 3,504 students hailing from over 148 nationalities, with an average age of 31.4 years and a clear female majority: 59% of the graduating class are women. The most represented age demographic is between 26 and 30 years old (33.1%), confirming a student body composed largely of young professionals. Among the most represented countries were Italy (38.2%), Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, the United States, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, France, and India, with 37% of students coming from non-EU countries.
Today, these graduates join the global Rome Business School family, integrating into an international network of over 160,000 alumni and more than 1,000 corporate partners worldwide, including KPMG, Microsoft, IBM, Sony, Terna, and Fendi. The Career Center model has been key to the professional growth of students: according to data from the 2026 Employment Report (based on the 2025 student cohort), 71.6% of students receive job offers during their Master’s program, a figure that rises to 75.2% within one year of graduation; 81.2% experience a salary increase after completing the program (peaking at +52.87% in Finance and +46.90% in the MBA); 90.6% report taking on greater responsibility in their role; 84.1% directly apply the skills they learned; and 80.9% state that they have strengthened their professional network. Overall, over 1,515 students were placed in jobs in the last year, a 23% increase compared to 2024, thanks to more than 8,084 job opportunities published (+2.41% vs 2024) with employers such as Adidas, Deloitte, Oracle, and Louis Vuitton. The RBS4Entrepreneurship program, which also incubated SKYA (this year’s RBS4Entrepreneurship Award winner), has incubated 225 startup ideas since 2021, bringing 25 to market and generating over 510 jobs across 58 countries.
Closing the event, Antonio Ragusa, Dean of Rome Business School, offered his well-wishes to the new alumni: “Today does not simply mark the end of an academic journey: it marks the beginning of a greater responsibility. The knowledge and skills you have acquired find their true purpose when they become tools to generate opportunities, lead with integrity, and contribute positively to the organizations and communities you join. In a world changing faster than ever, we need leaders who are not only capable, but also curious, courageous, and mindful of the impact of their choices. My wish for you is that you always hold onto your desire to learn, your willingness to challenge yourselves, and your ambition to use your talent to leave a positive mark on the world.”
