About Marco Mizzau

Marco Mizzau is a business leader with a strong track record in turning around and growing companies. Born in Rome in 1977, he graduated in Economics from L.U.I.S.S. University and studied at top schools like Harvard and INSEAD. Since 2023, he has been the CEO of Consip, Italy’s largest public procurement platform, managing €27 billion annually (~1.8% of Italy’s GDP) and transforming it into the “Amazon of Public Administration.” From 2019 to 2023, he led InarCassa, growing its assets to €14 billion and revenues to €1.5 billion. He also helped improve Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital Holding and held key roles at Accenture, Ernst & Young, and KPMG, driving financial success and business growth.

From State Procurement to “Amazon of Public Administration”

The Worlds Times: You’ve had a long career leading businesses in finance, healthcare, and infrastructure. What was the toughest challenge you faced as a leader, and how did you manage to overcome it?

Marco Mizzau replied, “All the challenges I have undertaken as a CEO in a new company have required a radical and rapid immersion into an industry and a context that I did not specifically know from a technical perspective. However, through a combination of the methodology acquired in the consulting firms where I worked, rigorous discipline and perseverance, a relentless drive to work with obsession, and an entrepreneurial approach to embracing the role of CEO—which involved adopting a transformative and participatory leadership style with all personnel—I have always been able to generating sustainable financial returns for shareholders in minimum time and with a particular attention for human capital and the creation of strong teamwork.

One of the toughest operations I successfully carried out was transforming a State Procurement Center into the “Amazon of Public Administration” through a radical optimization, redesign, and digitalization of key business and operational processes. Today, Consip has become the largest and most important Procurement Center in Italy.

Through the country’s largest national digital procurement platform, digital marketplaces, and ready-to-use contracts, the company now serves all major industries, including Healthcare, ICT, Telecom, Energy, Automotive, Facility, and Building Management. The total public spending managed through the platform reached €133 billion.

Under my leadership, the company:

  • Achieved the PNRR objective of full digitalization, transparency, and sustainability of the procurement cycle two years ahead of schedule;
  • became a key strategic player for the country in terms of industrial leverage, public finance management, and spending review facilitation;
  • reached record-breaking results in a minimal timeframe, including the increasing of the annual public spending managed through our commercial agreements from €22 billion to €27.2 billion (1.8% of GDP).”

Leading with an Entrepreneurial and Hands-On Approach

The Worlds Times: You describe yourself as “a fixer” with an entrepreneurial mindset. How has this influenced your leadership style and the way you make decisions in complex situations?

Marco Mizzau replied, “I believe that every CEO should consider the company they are called to lead as “their own”, not in a proprietary or arrogant sense, but rather with a special care for the public good, with the same attention and meticulousness as they would for their own home.

This is why success is guaranteed only when a CEO combines the innovative mindset of a founder/entrepreneur with the operational ability of someone who “puts things in order.” This was the approach of great leaders like Sergio Marchionne.

Nowadays, a CEO cannot be merely a strategic leader, detached to the point of being almost intangible; instead, they must be hands-on, action-oriented, and deeply involved in the business operations. A successful CEO gets their hands dirty, engages with all employees, and, most importantly, knows how to communicate effectively with the technical experts in key positions.”

Driving Rapid Growth and Strategic Partnerships at Consip

The Worlds Times: At Consip, you increased the annual value of spend to €27B and signed key partnerships with public authorities. What were the most important steps you took to achieve these results so quickly?

Marco Mizzau replied, “To achieve this goal, along with many others, we worked tirelessly day and night for an entire year, even with a small team. We conducted multiple workshops with top strategic and IT consulting firms to stay up to date on the best digital solutions. We also anticipated AI-driven trends, implementing solutions that minimized repetitive operations as much as possible.

Furthermore, we implemented a new Industrial Plan and Communication Plan, we enhanced synergies with stakeholders to create a value-driven network serving Italy, we developed a new relationship approach towards both public administration clients and businesses, with a strong focus on over 150,000 SMEs.

Moreover, we redefined the company’s value framework, establishing a new Purpose, Vision, Values, and Visual Identity and we set employee engagement initiatives, including direct communication with the CEO, year-end meetings, team-building activities, and charitable initiatives.”

Investment Strategy and Value Creation in Private Equity

The Worlds Times: As a private equity investor, you focus on middle-market businesses in North America and Europe. What do you look for when deciding where to invest, and how do you create long-term value?

Marco Mizzau replied, “Private equity funds typically focus on three main drivers when deciding whether to invest in a company to support its industrial leap:

  • A strong recent growth trajectory, demonstrated by a compound annual revenue growth (CAGR) of at least 10% over the last five years.
  • A high EBITDA, approximated by the ratio of gross operating margin to revenue, which should be at least above 10%.
  • A strong cash generation capacity, measured by a cash flow-to-revenue ratio exceeding 10%, based on the latest available financial statements.

However, we are particularly interested in building high-performing industrial/digital platforms that—having already incorporated other pan-European companies with established clients and retail networks—are open to considering businesses with limited revenue but strong embedded potential.

Regarding platforms, the most attractive sectors for 2025 could be:

  • Tech
  • Software Development
  • Healthcare
  • EdTech
  • Industrial Machinery Manufacturing
  • Business Consulting
  • AI
  • Fashion
  • Fintech, especially Digital Payments, which holds the top spot.

For larger transactions, we focus on companies with the following key criteria:

  • EBITDA: >€20 million, with a sweet spot around €30 million
  • Industries: Manufacturing, Industrials, Business Services, and Technology
  • Ownership: Open to both minority and majority investments, often partnering with families or entrepreneurs
  • Equity ticket: Minimum of €50 million, with a sweet spot around €100 million at closing”

Turning InarCassa into a Leading Institutional Investor

The Worlds Times: At InarCassa, you grew assets to €14B and achieved record revenues. What were the key strategies that helped you turn the business around?

Marco Mizzau replied, “InarCassa is one of the most relevant Institutional Investor in Italy.

The fund provides retirement benefits such as disability allowances, health coverage, subsidies, mortgages, and honor loans; the use of resources deriving from the collection of compulsory contributions is a necessary and essential activity for the achievement of institutional goals.

In Italy, the pension fund invested 6% of its asset in cash, 12% in government bonds, 7.1% in equities, 8.5% in real assets, and 15% in real estate, while the remainder is invested abroad (51.4%).

Under my management, the fund:

  • adopted the first Industrial Plan and Cybersecurity Strategic Plan.
  • Signed several strategic (investment) deals with Institutions, Banks and major private companies.
  • Boosted investments in real estate and infrastructure projects (both “physical” and “physical-digital” infrastructure).
  • Played a key role in building, renewing, and operating infrastructure in the Private partnerships with government in order to reduce the strain on public finances, accelerate job creation, foster innovation, inject new expertise into projects, spur productivity gains, and advance the transition to a greener Italy economy.”

Transforming Healthcare and Driving Global Business Strategy

The Worlds Times: At Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital, you transformed the group into an industry leader. What unique challenges did you face in healthcare, and how did you address them?

Marco Mizzau replied, “I believe that managing a Holding that includes a hospital entity is extremely complex. Healthcare is a business with challenging industrial accounting and, most importantly, it deals with human health.

In six years, we have reduced the Group’s goods and services costs by €12 million, successfully carried out major investment projects related to construction works while strictly adhering to budgeted timelines and costs, implemented energy efficiency measures that led to a 60% cost reduction over the 2012-2017 period, and finally, we have reviewed and streamlined all administrative and organizational processes and procedures within the Group to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.”

The Worlds Times: You’ve worked in Italy, the Middle East, and North America. How has your international experience shaped your business strategy, and what trends do you think will define the future of private equity and business growth?

Marco Mizzau replied, “I see many opportunities in AgriTech, HealthTech & Telemedicine, Fintech & Financial Inclusion, EdTech & Digital Skills Development sectors.

Never stop learning, especially in the field of AI.

I think China is the present, but Africa is the future.

We need to enhance the value of countries like Africa.

As I mentioned before we create sustainable value alongside outstanding and visionary entrepreneurs.

This includes defining Buy and Build strategies aimed at developing industrial and digital platforms in the Fintech, Healthcare, Fashion and Industrial sectors.

I think there is much to do to enhance industrial investments in digital and physical infrastructure across Africa, particularly in Nigeria and Ghana.

In these countries, increase the visibility of strategic water projects, also with the goal of achieving significant humanitarian and philanthropic milestones.

Let’s take Ethiopia as an example.

Ethiopia is the eastern region known as the Horn of Africa. It borders Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, and South Sudan. It is one of the oldest countries in the world.

Ethiopia’s population lacks electricity access, yet the country has vast renewable resources.

Opportunities are digital platforms for farmers (market access, weather updates, precision farming)

Ethiopia has a doctor-to-patient ratio of 1:10,000, with rural areas underserved.

Opportunities are Telemedicine platforms

Ethiopians are unbanked, but mobile penetration is rising. Opportunities are Mobile money & digital wallets.

Quality education in Ethiopia is limited. Opportunities are online learning platforms for skill development (coding, business, AI, etc.) AI-driven personalized learning.”

Inspiring Teams through Vision and Purpose

The Worlds Times: You’ve highlighted the importance of teamwork and human capital in business success. What strategies have you used to build and motivate strong teams across different industries?

Marco Mizzau replied, “During the company event for Christmas greetings, I gathered the entire organization and presented the storyline of the work accomplished in my first 180 days.

The opening slide featured a passage from Oriana Fallaci’s interview with Golda Meir (former Prime Minister of Israel):

“You cannot cross the desert following a man or a woman who believes in nothing and whose only goal is to remain at the head of the group.
And the leader’s competence alone—meaning their knowledge of the path through the desert—is not enough to make followers keep pace.
It is the belief in the existence of a destination that unites both the leader and their followers in their journey.”

Thus, the importance of faith is linked to the presence of a destination.
The difference between depression and joy lies precisely in the presence of a mission, of a purpose in life.
Living not in service of oneself, but for humanity, for one’s family, for one’s country, etc.
Living in service to others is the purest and highest form of joy.

People with a vision feel what Churchill experienced the night before accepting the decision to become Prime Minister in 1939:

“When I went to bed around 3 AM, I felt a deep sense of relief.
At last, I had the authority to set the direction for the nation.
I felt as if I were walking with Destiny, and that my past life had been nothing but a preparation for this moment and this trial.
I knew I could do it, and I was certain that I would not fail.
So, although I was eager for the morning to come, I slept soundly and had no need for dreams to encourage me.
Facts are better than dreams.”

Every time I read these words, I feel an immense sense of emotion.
This man was about to take the leadership of an unprepared country, facing war against the greatest military machine ever created at that time.
He had just been given the biggest responsibility of his life—and what did he feel? Relief.

Now, I ask myself—and I ask you:
Have you ever felt impatient for the sun to rise?

People with a vision feel what Churchill felt:

  • They have energy.
  • They are excited.
  • They have a plan.
  • They have a fire inside.
  • Their faces shine with life.
  • They know exactly where they are going and how to get there.

Many people struggle to get out of bed in the morning.
Do you know why?
Because they can predict exactly what will happen in their day, and their body resigns itself:
“Here we go, just another ordinary day…”

But let’s think back to when we were kids going on a trip or an adventure.
What happened then?
We jumped out of bed, already dressed and ready before our parents even woke up.
And why?
Because we imagined the unexpected things that could happen.

That is how we should live our lives.
Wake up in the morning with the awareness and excitement that something extraordinary and unexpected will happen, as a direct result of our efforts.

Sergio Marchionne always taught us that for a group of people to be exceptional, they need a sense of purpose, a challenge worth pursuing:
“We are here and we do this because we have a MISSION.”

The group does not have a rigid hierarchy with defined roles—everyone is judged by how they do their job.
It is not a democracy, but a community based on merit and passion.
We are not here for money or ego, but to be part of the mission.

However, to achieve something you’ve never had, you must do something you’ve never done.
And that means stepping out of your comfort zone and leaping across the chasm of fear.

Imagine yourself on your deathbed.
Suddenly, standing beside you, appear the ghosts of your ideas, your abilities, and the talents life gave you.
And yet, for whatever reason, you never used them.
You never acted on your ideas, never fulfilled your dreams, never multiplied your talents, never used your leadership, never raised your voice, never wrote that book.

And those ghosts stand there, looking at you, disappointed, with tears in their eyes, saying:
“We came to you, and only you could have brought us to life.
But you didn’t.
And now, we must die with you—forever.”

So ask yourself this:
If you were to die today, which dreams, goals, talents, and gifts would die with you?

Let’s not waste time judging, criticizing, or complaining.
There is no time.

See you at work!”

Connect Marco Mizzau on Linkedin

Visit https://www.marcomizzau.com/ for more details.

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