Paolo Petrocelli, PhD, is a cultural manager and university professor driven by the belief that culture, arts and education are a major force for growth, development and change globally. He serves as the Head of Dubai Opera House in the United Arab Emirates. He is the Founder and President of EMMA for Peace (Euro-Mediterranean Music Academy), the Founder and Honorary President of the Italian Youth Association for UNESCO, the largest youth organization in the UNESCO system, Cultural Diplomacy Officer for the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, and Cultural Advisor to Coldplay. Petrocelli got a PhD in Cultural Economics from IULM University of Milan and an Executive MBA from the Bocconi School of Management. In 2023, he has been recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum for continued contributions to arts and culture. In 2022, he has been selected by the think tank Friends of Europe among the 40 most influential young personalities in Europe and nominated European Young Leader. In the same year, the magazine Fortune named him among the 40 most influential personalities under 40 in Italy, as the first cultural manager ever selected.
