Port of Rome President Pino Musolino: Knowledge is Key

Pino Musolino

On October 25,  Professor Ieva Jakobsone Bellomi welcomed Pino Musolino, President of the Ports of Rome and Lazio, as a guest lecturer to talk to her Organizational Behavior class about leadership. Musolino impressed JCU students by discussing his career path and role as a maritime lawyer and leader in the port industry. At age 38, Musolino had achieved his lifelong goal, becoming the youngest ever president of the Port of Venice. In 2020, Musolino became the president of the System Authority of the Central Northern Tyrrhenian Sea (AdSP), Ports of Rome and Lazio. Musolino explained how he has dedicated much of his career to this accomplishment.

Born and raised in Venice, Musolino’s career began with the goal to one day command the port of his hometown. To achieve this goal, a teenage Musolino challenged himself to continually acquire knowledge related to the business of managing a major port. He attended additional classes, enrolled in specialized and prestigious schools, and even dedicated his university dissertation to the Ports of Venice. Upon completing his studies, Musolino spent three months working daily to send out tailored CVs and cover letters to 270 different employers. In March of 2017, Musolino achieved his longtime goal and was nominated President and Commissioner of the Venetian Ports—a role he held until December 2020 when he accepted his position at AdSP.

Though this path was never easy, Musolino successfully achieved what he had set out to attain and more, learning much about self-development and leadership skills along the way. “There is not a thing you will learn in your life that will not one day prove to be useful,” said Musolino during the lecture. In fact, he attributes much of his success not to his specialized studies, but to his ability to apply general knowledge from studies of philosophy, psychology, linguistics, etc. Musolino believes that as a leader, you must be “demanding of your team, but especially of yourself,” and that this process begins with the constant challenge to learn. Knowledge always prepares you for success, both on your own and as a part of a team.

(Nicholas Modlin)