The Board of Directors of Luiss Guido Carli will confer the title of “Alumna Luiss 2024” on Ambassador Elisabetta Belloni, Director General of the Department of Security Information (DIS), on November 21 during the traditional ceremony honoring the graduate of the year.

“I am honored to receive this recognition from my alma mater,” said Elisabetta Belloni, adding, “Luiss was a highly inspiring educational environment for me, helping to strengthen the dedication and rigor that led me to choose a career in public service, which I pursue every day with pride and the utmost sense of responsibility. I dedicate this recognition to the new generations of Luiss students and graduates who, I am certain, will successfully carry forward these same values.” 

Belloni graduated with honors in Political Science from Luiss in 1982, with a thesis on “International Negotiation Techniques” that focused on the conflict in the Persian Gulf region. She began her distinguished diplomatic career in 1985 at the Foreign Ministry’s Political Affairs Directorate.

After holding various positions abroad between 1986 and 1999, she returned to Italy, where she held increasingly important institutional roles within the Foreign Ministry. From 2002 to 2004, she served as Head of the Secretariat for the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, and later led the Crisis Unit. From 2008 to 2012, she served as Director General for Development Cooperation, and from 2013 to 2015, as Director General for Resources and Innovation. Promoted to the rank of Ambassador in 2014, the following year she took on the role of Chief of Staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. From 2016 to 2021, she served as Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 2021, she has been the Director General of the DIS, the first woman to hold this highly important role in coordinating national security. In March 2024, she was also appointed as a sherpa for the G7 and G20.

 Luiss President Luigi Gubitosi commented: “Commitment, merit, and contribution to the community. These are the qualities that have defined Elisabetta Belloni’s journey since her university days and have guided her through a long career, during which she has repeatedly shattered the so-called ‘glass ceiling’: as the first female Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, now, at the helm of the DIS. At every stage of her career, she has put her professionalism at the service of the State with loyalty and a sense of duty to the institutions. This recognition is a way to thank her on behalf of the entire Luiss community, whose values she embodies perfectly.”

Daniele Pelli, President of the Luiss Alumni Network (LAN), added: “Throughout her distinguished career, Ambassador Belloni has made a significant impact on the political and institutional landscape, both in Italy and internationally. She stands as a model of excellence, and we are confident that she will inspire many students aspiring to a future in diplomacy, as well as Luiss graduates embarking on this important path.” 

The “Alumnus of the Year” award is given to Luiss alumni who have distinguished themselves through their professional achievements and significant contributions, chosen from over 60,000 alumni worldwide. The Luiss Alumni Network spans Europe, America, Asia, and the Middle East, providing graduates of the Guido Carli University with a platform for discussion and growth, rooted in the values of openness and innovation.

In recent years, the title has been awarded to: Vincenzo Manes (2023), Marcella Panucci (2022), Patrizia Micucci (2021), Fabio Panetta (2019), Riccardo Zacconi (2018), Marco Morelli (2017), Luca Maestri (2016), and Carlo Messina (2015).