Built for the Long Run: Luca Stefanutti's EMBA Experience

Luca Stefanutti joined the HEC Executive MBA at 32, which made him one of the youngest people in his cohort. By that point however, he had already built a strong career in digital growth. He had just been promoted to Director of Growth at Adidas, leading a cross-functional team of 14 across performance marketing, product marketing and digital growth.

Still, he felt something was missing. Moving into executive leadership meant having to learn much faster. “I was suddenly interacting with many senior executives,” he explains. “And I realized I needed to learn from them, not just from my peers and managers. So, I started thinking: how can I get in touch with these people more often?”

His solution was an Executive MBA. With the support from his company, Luca started looking at a few programs in Europe and chose HEC Paris because of its global reputation and the opportunity to study in-person, in flexible modular format, alongside an international cohort.

“If you’re investing in an EMBA, you want to meet people from all over the world,” he explains. “I wanted to learn from a cohort of completely different experiences and perspectives.”

His expectations proved correct. Luca’s cohort, nicknamed the 'Disruptors' included over 60 participants from diverse industries and nationalities. They remain close today, meeting up at least once a year for what they call ‘Forever Module 6’.

“The network was the biggest gift from the experience,” he says. “Even now, some of them still advise me when I face complicated problems at work.”

Balancing the EMBA with his job was not easy. During that time, Luca was going through several organizational transformations that increased his responsibilities. In 2023, he also welcomed his first child while completing the program’s capstone project!

“There was a moment when I wasn’t sure what time of day it was,” he laughs. “I was working, studying, sleeping very little, and finishing the capstone. Thankfully, it only lasted a few months, and in the end, it was worth it.”

Despite the intensity, the EMBA fundamentally changed how he approached leadership. “It changed how I see decisions” he explains. “Before, I would look at things like a senior manager and think, ‘Oh but this isn’t fair’ or ‘This should have been done differently.’ Now I understand the broader perspective a company has to take and reasons with a birds-eye view, finding the right position a leader needs to take for bringing the desired change.”

Outside the classroom, Luca also helped build the community spirit of the cohort. A passionate athlete who regularly competes in marathons and Ironman triathlons, he organized a sports tournament that brought his classmates together. 

“We called it the ‘Disruptors Cup’,” he explains. “After class, we would compete in multiple sport tournaments over different months. Putting together very different people, many with way more working experience than me, under the flag of sportsmanship is the best memory for me.”

After graduating in 2024, Luca continued his career journey. He chose to pursue a new challenge in Italy and joined Technogym, a world-leading manufacturer of high-end gym equipment, where he now leads digital growth.

Looking back, he believes the EMBA was one of the most valuable decisions in his career.

“Things that people learn in five to ten years you will learn in one to two years max,” he shares. “Even as one of the youngest in the cohort, you will bring fresh and innovative ideas to the table, and in return you gain the career experiences of your classmates.”