Welcome to Geopolitics for Business — and to our About Us page, where you can discover who we are, what we do, and why this project matters.
We are graduate students from Bocconi University who took part in the course Geopolitics for Business, led by Professor Andrea Colli and PhD candidate Gian Maria Mallarino. Initially, the course was launched in 2022 to address a key gap in business education: the lack of attention to geopolitical dynamics in management training. As a result, students are now better equipped to navigate global complexity.
This About Us section, therefore, reflects our collective effort to translate theory into practice. Throughout the course, we worked on developing a geopolitical index to assess global risks through a structured, data-driven lens.
To do so, students were divided into three main groups, each with a specific mission:
The Consulting Group assessed key geopolitical risks and emerging global challenges;
The Data Group refined and expanded the index, integrating new sources and ensuring consistency;
The Marketing Group, meanwhile, managed communication efforts, including the blog, social media, and this very About Us page.
Thanks to the support and guidance of Professor Colli, we brought this project to life. Ultimately, we hope this website — and especially this About Us section — helps you understand the purpose and impact of our work.
We are proud to announce that the Geopolitical Risk Index project has been awarded by Bocconi University as part of the Teaching Awards for the Academic Year 2023/2024 during the Bocconi Teaching Night held on March 31st, 2025. This recognition underscores the significant contribution our work has made in the field of geopolitical analysis.
The Teaching Awards recognize outstanding efforts in innovative academic work. This award highlights our team’s dedication to creating a comprehensive and dynamic Geopolitical Risk Index, a vital resource for understanding global risks and geopolitics. The project’s development was led by Professors Andrea Colli and Gian Maria Mallarino, who were instrumental in its development, design, and implementation.
We are honored by this recognition, and it motivates us to continue expanding and refining the Index to serve as an essential tool for geopolitical risk analysis.
For more details about the Teaching Awards, visit the official Bocconi University announcement here.
You can also read more about the award and the Geopolitical Risk Index project in the LinkedIn post by Professor Gian Maria Mallarino.
During the 2024/25 academic year, the class was divided into 15 groups, each assigned to one of three main areas: Marketing, Data, and Consulting. Specifically, this structure allowed each group to focus on a distinct dimension of the Geop Risk Index project. As a result, the division facilitated more targeted work, better coordination, and a deeper exploration of the various aspects of geopolitical risk communication.
Geopolitics of Sub-saharan Africa: Pierre Louis Braley, Matilde Ferretti, Ines Robin, Roberto Giancarlo Aldridge, Stefano Petringa, Fabio Caccamisi
During the academic year 2023–2024, students were divided into fifteen groups, each assigned one of three main tasks: data, consulting, and marketing. Each group had a specific focus and set of responsibilities. Specifically, the Data Group worked on refining the dataset; the Consulting Group investigated key geopolitical challenges; and the Marketing Group enhanced the project’s visibility:
The Consulting Groups explored a range of pressing geopolitical topics. In particular, they conducted in-depth research and provided detailed analysis of timely global challenges. Consequently, their findings enriched the strategic relevance of the index.
The Marketing Groups were responsible for enhancing the website and expanding the project’s communication outreach.
Consequently, they played a key role in connecting the research with a wider audience.
During the academic year 2022–2023, students were divided into three main teams: data, consulting, and marketing. Each team had a specific objective aligned with the broader mission of the Geopolitics for Business project. Together, their work laid the foundation for the developments that followed in later years.
This group was responsible for improving the dataset inherited from the previous year. In addition, they actively sourced and integrated new data. As a result, they laid the groundwork for a more robust and reliable index, contributing significantly to the project’s long-term impact.
The Consulting Group, in particular, focused on a relevant and timely topic, delving into issues related to geopolitical risk. Through thorough research and analysis, they added a strategic dimension to the project..
Meanwhile, the Marketing Group took charge of enhancing the website and improving the overall communication strategy. Furthermore, they worked to present the content in a clear, engaging, and visually accessible way — a crucial step in bringing the project to a wider audience..
The students from the 2021–2022 academic year were the first to contribute to the development of the geopolitical index. At this early stage, they laid the foundation for future cohorts to build upon. To structure the work, they were divided into eight groups: six focused on developing the core dimensions of the index, while two supported the project’s online presence and communication..
These teams concentrated on the essential components of the index. Specifically, each group was tasked with researching and analyzing a distinct thematic area:
Meanwhile, two additional groups focused on the project’s communication strategy and digital presence. As a result, they ensured that the content produced by the research teams was clearly structured, visually engaging, and easily accessible to a broader audience..