From the Olympics to major event management: Marta Pagnini shares the story of her personal and professional transformation. A former captain of the Italian national rhythmic gymnastics team, bronze medalist at London 2012 and winner of over 60 international podiums, Marta now works with the Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee while completing the Executive Master in Business of Events at Bocconi University.

Discover the toughest challenge of her career, what education means to her in entering the world of sports events, her dream job and how the Dompé Foundation scholarship has impacted her life. A story of resilience, passion, and the drive to start anew, even after a top-level athletic career.

Could you briefly introduce yourself? 

I'm Marta Pagnini, I used to be a gymnast and I was the captain of the Italian National rhythmic gymnastics team. With my team, I won a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics and over 60 international medals. 
Today, I work on the Look of the Games brand team for the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation and I’m still a passionate follower of rhythmic gymnastics. 

How is the Executive Master in Business of Events relevant today?   

I believe the Executive Master’s in Business of Events is a highly innovative and competitive program in today's job market. 
I have a deep passion for sports events. I was an Olympic athlete, so I’ve tried to turn that passion for big events into a profession. 
This is a rapidly evolving world and this master’s program is really equipping me with the right tools to make a meaningful contribution, thanks to both my experience as an athlete and my growing professional background. 

What is the greatest challenge you’ve ever faced?   

I think my biggest challenge was facing my second Olympic Games at Rio 2016. I was the captain of the national team and, on the day I landed in Brazil, I lost my grandmother. 
She was my guiding light, my biggest role model and my biggest fan. 
Before every competition, she would always tell me: “Do everything well”. 
I actually have “do everything well” tattooed on my skin. I even wrote a book titled “Do Everything Well”, so for me it's truly a mantra and the only time my grandmother didn’t say it to me was right before Rio and it ended up being the only time I came home from a competition without a medal because we finished fourth, just a few tenths of a point off the podium. 

Tell us about your work experience

I entered the job market a bit later than my peers, because I stopped doing gymnastics in 2016 when I was already 25. 
So I had to take on both academic and professional paths that many of my peers had already made good progress on. 
I got my degree and immediately started looking for a job. 
I found this amazing opportunity, my first major job, working on the Organizing Committee for the 2019 Naples Universiade. 
There, I was the Field of Play Coordinator for rhythmic gymnastics, so I was directly involved in organizing the competition for the sport I had just left as an athlete. 
That’s when I really immersed myself in the world of an organizing committee and I fell in love with it. 
I absolutely loved seeing how an organizing committee works and how broad and diverse it is and I said to myself: “this is the job I want to do forever”. 
That’s what motivated me to apply for a role with Milano Cortina 2026.

What is your dream job?   

My dream job is exactly what I’m doing now: working on a major event as part of the organizing committee. I love this reality: I love how it's structured and I love the challenges this job throws at you every day. It’s a bit like being an athlete: you prepare for a major event, you work in a team toward that big moment and the adrenaline builds. It’s not a job with constant adrenaline, but rather one where it keeps rising and you have to be ready on the big day because if you’re not, you probably won’t get another chance. Actually, you definitely won’t get another chance. 

What does being awarded a Fondazione Dompé scholarship mean to you?   

Receiving this scholarship is a great honor and, above all, a great opportunity. 
It really allows me to make a dream come true and to see it through to the end. 
Of course, I want to give back all my enthusiasm, all my commitment and above all, all of myself during this academic journey and beyond, so I’m deeply grateful for this scholarship.