Professional values

It helps to have your values written down—even better when cast in concrete.

Visiting SDA Bocconi School of Management this week in Milan. And it’s the little things that have got my attention.

For instance, take this concrete installation. Poetario (2021) by Giorgio Milani is a six-metre-wide circular installation made of black and white concrete blocks at the entrance of SDA Bocconi.

Its black blocks spell out a statement on the School’s mission—balancing professional preparation with critical reflection toward fairer institutions.

The white blocks, scattered with lone letters, create pauses for contemplation, embodying the dialogue between structure and thought.

Commissioned for the School’s 50th anniversary, it materializes SDA Bocconi’s founding manifesto in enduring form—a space where management, culture, and reflection meet.

Always learning. Thank you Milan, xx