BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sara Sozzani Maino
Creative Director of the Sozzani Foundation. She collaborates with numerous educational institutions and is part of several boards that work towards raising awareness for a more responsible planet. She is a member of the Advisory Board of the Circular Fashion Summit, supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
Currently, she is a Creative Consultant for CNCC (Condé Nast Commercial Creative), focusing on the development and implementation of multiplatform projects for Condé Nast Italy’s brands. She co-founded Vogue Talents with Franca Sozzani in 2009. Since September 2018, she has been the International Brand Ambassador of the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, supporting the new generation of designers. She is also a member of the Camera Fashion Trust, founded in 2018 to support Italian-made designers. In 2019, she launched A New Awareness, a project aimed at creating greater awareness and consciousness among young generations.
Umberta Gnutti Beretta
An entrepreneur dedicated to philanthropy, President of HUG Holding. Umberta Gnutti has held various social roles over the years, including President of the Restoration Club of the Poldi Pezzoli Museum, Board Member of the IEO Foundation and Monzino Cardiology Center, Co-founder and Member of the Camera Moda Fashion Trust, and Board Member of the Essere Bambino Association for children’s health.
“I chose to support the Mente Foundation in an effort to help and assist young people and families who face and manage the challenges related to autism.”
Jacopo Durazzani
After high school, I enrolled in the University of Architecture, specializing in Interior Design. As often happens when you’re still a student, I started working; designing interiors for villas, apartments, and yachts. At the same time, I began receiving requests from friends to organize private parties, as they admired my taste. These events quickly took off. I felt completely at ease in my role as a producer. I discovered that event planning also gave me an outlet for my creative energy. In 2018, I was contacted by several top brands, and that’s when everything started.
“I chose to support the Mente Foundation because evolution is based on inclusion.”
Umberto Mantineo
Architect and Designer
A Roman architect and designer. After a classical education, he studied architecture at La Sapienza University and worked in several studios until 2016, when he opened his own practice. There, in addition to designing, he also created and produced limited-edition furniture pieces. Currently, he is engaged in projects that do not directly involve architecture or design.
“I chose to support and be part of the Foundation because I believe that when you meet people who have the determination, strength, and answers to face and change things, the desire to participate comes naturally. I didn’t choose to be part of the Mente Foundation, I was chosen by Manuele’s determination, by Vanessa’s strength, and by Leone’s answers.”
Sara Castelli Gattinara
Born and raised in a family of architects and interior designers. After his artistic training, he attended the Faculty of Architecture in Industrial Design at La Sapienza University in Rome and explored various experiences in scenography, graphic design, and illustration.
During his studies, he collaborated with his family’s architecture studio while also cultivating a passion for fashion as a hobby. In 2006, he began working alongside Vanessa Bozzacchi in styling research. Over time, his passion for fashion surpassed his interest in design, and he left the world of architecture behind to fully dedicate himself to image coordination. He joined a well-known agency specializing in press and styling, broadening his expertise in communication as a personal press office.
Today, he is a co-founder & partner of Other srl, focusing his career on growth and strategy in communication, serving as a publicist for Italian actors and directors.
Gianluca De Marchi
Gianluca De Marchi is an Italian entrepreneur.
In 2000, he began his entrepreneurial career in the advertising market, and in 2004, he co-founded Urban Vision with Daniela Valenza and Fabio Mazzoni, a media company that is a leader in the field of sponsored restorations, and a publisher and concessionaire of Out Of Home and Digital Out of Home spaces.
Throughout his career, De Marchi has also combined his passion for culture with a strong interest in cinema—an industry he has always been passionate about—by investing in prominent Italian productions, including “Miele”, the debut film by Valeria Golino, which was in competition in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and “La vita oscena”, directed by Renato De Maria, which was in competition in the Horizons section at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.
“I chose to be part of the Mente Foundation after listening to Vanessa Bozzacchi and Manuele D’Oppido, deeply moved, touched, and inspired by their determination. Without hesitation, I decided to offer all the possible support to this important cause, often overlooked, in order to turn a rugged path into one of opportunity and perspective.”
Alfonso Liguori
Alfonso Liguori is the Director of the Talents Division at Next Management Milano.
He began his career in 1988 as a model agent, initially collaborating with the renowned international agency Major, before becoming a co-founder of Next Milano in 2009. He is known for his skill in discovering and promoting emerging talents, helping many build successful careers in fashion.
Alfonso has worked with numerous internationally renowned companies, contributing to fashion shows, advertising campaigns, and photo shoots. In 2014, he opened the Talents Division at Next Milano, where he started representing influencers and content creators primarily in the fashion and luxury sectors. A pioneer of influencer marketing, a few years later, he began representing entertainment industry artists and managing endorsement projects for them. He is considered a leading figure in the industry.
“I chose to be part of the Mente Foundation and support it because it is the right thing to do.”
Paolo Stella
Paolo Stella is a well-known writer, content creator, and creative director.
He began his career in the entertainment industry as an actor in TV series, films, and television programs. His passion for storytelling soon led him to gain a large following on social media, eventually collaborating with some of the most renowned luxury brands in the fields of lifestyle, fashion, and design.
In 2018, he published his first novel, “Meet me alla Boa”, followed by “Per Caso, tanto il caso non esiste”, “La luna piena delle fragole”, and “Colleziona attimi di altissimo splendore”, all of which quickly became bestsellers and won the Mondadori Oscar.
In 2020, he launched a design project called @suonarestella, a dynamic and interactive showcase that tells the story of interior design, collaborating with numerous internationally renowned architects.
Lorenzo D’Elia
A professional with extensive experience in the fashion and entertainment industries.
He held a key position at Fendi under the creative direction of Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturini Fendi from 2001 to 2006, as the Director of Celebrity Casting and Public Relations.
From 2006 to 2023, he held managerial roles at Gucci under the creative direction of Frida Giannini and Alessandro Michele, where he was responsible for managing relationships and styling between VIPs and the brand. He worked closely with Alessandro Michele as part of his core team, advising him on many projects, advertising campaigns, social media acts, fashion shows, brand parties and events, and special collaborations with VIPs.
In parallel with his work at Gucci, he founded his own agency, which promotes events and promotional parties for many brands—an activity he continues to this day.
