Women in leadership: a matter of innovation, quality and competitiveness
Bologna hosts the third leg of the Range Rover roadshow in partnership with *Il Sole 24 Ore*
Leadership, competitiveness, innovation and human capital. These are the four pillars around which the third stage of Lead Her Way 2026 was organised, an initiative promoted by Range Rover in collaboration with *Il Sole 24 Ore*, which took place in Castel San Pietro Terme, Bologna.
Following events in Turin and Verona, the Emilia-Romagna event brought together representatives from institutions, universities, the business world and the professions to discuss the leadership models needed to tackle a changing economic and social landscape. Fabio Tamburini, editor-in-chief of *Il Sole 24 Ore*, opened the proceedings, followed by a panel discussion featuring Francesca Marchetti, mayor of Castel San Pietro Terme; Irene Priolo, councillor for the environment for the Emilia-Romagna Region; and Simona Tondelli, deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Bologna.
The ‘Inspiring Stories’ session provided a forum for discussing personal experiences, featuring interviews with Emily Marion Clancy, Deputy Mayor of Bologna, and Michela Pancaldi, CEO of Tecnocupole Pancaldi.
“Talking about women’s leadership today means recognising the extent to which gender still shapes access to the places where decisions are made and power is exercised,” Clancy emphasised. But, she added, it also means “challenging a concept of leadership that has for too long been based on predominantly male models”. According to Bologna’s deputy mayor, women are bringing ‘skills, visions and different ways of creating value’ to positions of responsibility, not least through a culture of cooperation.
Pancaldi drew on her business experience, focusing on effective leadership. “Listen, observe and choose to surround yourself with those who know more and can do things better. Continuous improvement is the starting point from which to begin anew every day – now more than ever, given the complexities of the modern world – to stop feeling as though we are never good enough. And this is not a question of gender,’ emphasised the CEO of Tecnocupole.
