International Master in Sports and Lifestyle Management

Carlo Rombolà is a distinguished Sports Business Lawyer with over 15 years of professional experience in international and sports law. He is the founding partner of Rombolà & Associati, a law firm specializing in civil, international, and administrative law. Currently, he holds positions as a professor of International Sports Law at LUISS Guido Carli University, Rome Business School and the University of Rome Foro Italico. Carlo earned his law degree from Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna and further specialized in New Technologies and Legal Information. He has been a professor at the university level for over 6 years, teaching subjects related to sports law and international law. His career spans roles in various international legal bodies, including UEFA AAA and the Italian Federation of Sports. He is the author of several publications in his field, including his 2017 book “Profili di Diritto Internazionale dello Sport”. He has also contributed to numerous legal conferences, radio, and television programs as a legal expert.

Corrado Di Taranto brings over 25 years of professional experience in sports management and business administration. He currently serves as General Director of Cesena Football Club, where he oversees all organizational activities and represents the club’s American ownership in Italy. Previously, he held executive leadership roles at SPAL, A.C. Trento, A.C. ChievoVerona, and Parma Calcio 1913, managing complex operations and strategic development across Serie B and Serie C clubs. He holds a degree in Economics and Business Management from the University of Trento, with a specialization in corporate administration. Throughout his career, Mr. Di Taranto has led significant organizational transformations and contributed to the development of sports infrastructure, notably as CEO of Bottagisio Sport Center. His expertise spans corporate governance, operational management, and stakeholder relations within the professional football sector. He maintains strong connections with both Italian and international sports institutions.

Fabio Verga is a senior executive and lecturer with over 35 years of professional experience in the industrial production, logistics, and sports infrastructure sectors. He has solid expertise in sales, business development, and operational strategy. He currently serves as Commercial Director at Gotaway S.r.l. and teaches in second-level university Master's programs in the sports field at institutions such as Politecnico di Milano, MasterSport Institute, Rome Business School, and the Business School of Il Sole 24 Ore. He holds a degree in Law from the University of Milan and has more than 13 years of teaching experience at the university level, with a focus on the commercial dynamics of sports facilities, event logistics, and infrastructure management. Throughout his career, he has held executive positions in companies such as Adecco Italia, W Group, and Best Union Company, where he was responsible for national commercial strategies, international development in the Middle East, and governance activities as a board member. Previously, he served as Deputy Commercial Director of San Siro Stadium and Marketing Manager at FC Internazionale Milano.

Federico Smanio has over 25 years of professional experience spanning sports, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He is currently the CEO of Wylab and Program Director of the WeSportUp accelerator, as well as a lecturer at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore within the Master's program in Sports Communication. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Bologna and completed further specializations in Digital & Mobile Marketing and Unconventional Marketing at MIP Politecnico di Milano. Since 2018, he has been active in university education, focusing on sports marketing, digital transformation, and innovative business models. He held key positions at Lega Serie B, serving as Head of Digital and Marketing Manager, where he contributed to the league’s digital transformation and commercial growth. He also collaborates with FIFA and international startups, actively promoting open innovation in the sports sector.

Lorenzo Di Caprio is an established football agent with over 8 years of experience in sports management and scouting. He is currently the CEO of DeltaKappa, a football representation agency based in Alife (Caserta), and Executive Director of Ok Calciomercato. He works daily alongside professional football players, providing strategic consulting and career management support. He holds a Master’s Degree in Information, Publishing, and Journalism, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Sciences from Roma Tre University. He has a strong background in sports media, having founded and directed the portal “Lo Sport Online” and served as Editorial Director of SportPaper.it. His industry experience also includes key roles at FK Sport Management and editorial collaborations with OkTennis.it. Committed to enhancing the profession of sports agents, he has built a significant network of contacts in the football world, both nationally and internationall

Lara Tagliabue has over 8 years of professional experience in the field of sport for development, with a focus on program management, capacity building, and social inclusion. She currently serves as Head of Programmes at Fondazione Laureus Italia ETS, where she oversees the design, implementation, and monitoring of multi-stakeholder projects on sport for educational and social impact across Italy. She holds a Master’s degree in Psychomotricity from Ateneo and a Master’s in Relational Support in National and International Development Contexts from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. She earned her undergraduate degree in International Studies and European Institutions from Università degli Studi di Milano. Ms. Tagliabue has substantial experience in coordinating interdisciplinary teams and fostering collaboration among schools, sports organizations, and social services. She has contributed to the advancement of inclusive sport policies and continues to collaborate with national and international partners in education and development sectors.

Marco Gessini is an international development professional with over 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, program management, and humanitarian action across Europe, Latin America, and Africa. He currently serves as Country Director. He holds both a Bachelor's and a Master’s Degree in Political Science and International Relations from Roma Tre University and earned a Master’s in Conflict, Security and Development from King’s College London. He also completed the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and received specialized training in international election observation. Throughout his career, he has led major projects for institutions such as ActionAid, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the European Union, with a strong focus on social inclusion, arms control, and electoral integrity. He has designed and managed initiatives for global events such as the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and has carried out diplomatic and consulting assignments in Uruguay and Kosovo. An active contributor to the academic field, he has published studies on humanitarian response, armed conflict, and civic education, and has participated in international panels on development cooperation and governance.

With over 18 years of professional experience, he has held academic roles across Italy and internationally, including appointments in the United States, Colombia, France, and China. He holds an LL.M. in International Cooperation Against Transnational Financial Organized Crime (Università degli Studi di Teramo), an M.A. in Economic Security, Geopolitics and Intelligence (SIOI), and a B.A. and M.A. in Political Science and International Relations from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. His general expertise is in geopolitics, diplomacy, and international organizations. He worked for the National School of Administration – Presidency of the Council of Ministers, and in 2022 he received a letter of commendation for his service at the SNA.​ He has collaborated with leading institutions (UNODC, UNICRI, MAOC-N e OCSE), contributing to urban security, anti-counterfeiting, and transnational crime prevention initiatives. Dr. Mancini serves on the scientific board of *The Market: International Journal of Business* (Cyprus Business School) and is a visiting lecturer at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. He is a published author in fields including international relations, criminology, and geopolitical analysis, with recent works such as *El Gran Juego* (Alta Marea, 2024) and *Arte, moda, geopolitica* (Egea, 2023), “Football and Geopolitics” (Mondo Nuovo, 2021), a book awarded at the 56th CONI Literary Competition. Director of Divulgative Research Center of Rome Business School where his research was recognized in the 2025 Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings. He is also Adjunct Professor and lecturer at several Institutuins, such as Rome City Institute, Unicollege SSML, University of Rome “La Sapienza”. Currently starting a PhD at the Westcliff University.