The Economic Affairs Commission

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Margot Padilla is a French master’s graduate in International Relations from Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome. She has an academic background shaped by studies across Montpellier, Budapest, and Brussels, with a focus on diplomacy, European governance, and global economics. She has experience in communication and policy analysis, having worked at the United Nations and in public affairs. Her work focuses on analyzing the European Union’s external action from an economic perspective and understanding its role in global affairs.

Naveen is a researcher of political economics and development who studied economics at Bocconi University. He is currently researching structural inequality and the intergenerational transmission of poverty in the EU. He was formerly the President of Aleph Analisi Strategiche, Italy's leading student think tank, and has publication experience on international relations and political economics, primarily in Asia.

Francesco Sottero is from Italy and is currently pursuing a degree in Economics and Computer Science at the University of Milan. During an exchange semester at Singapore Management University and his travels across Asia, he developed a deep interest in monetary policy and economic development. He is now focused on using his background in programming and data analytics to evaluate and analyze economic policies. To further develop his skills, Francesco will join the MSc in Economics and Social Sciences at Bocconi University beginning next year.

Silvia Dipalma is currently completing a double degree in International Management at Bocconi University and ESSEC Business School. She has always seen politics and economics as inseparable, a belief that grew stronger after a semester at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where she wrote her thesis on the assertion of an independent Hongkonger identity and its role in the 2019 protests. She had the opportunity to intern at the European Commission’s DG ECFIN, working on IMF reform and G20 coordination, which allowed her to engage with questions of global macroeconomics and trade imbalances from the inside. She is also passionate about development economics and climate finance, two areas she believes will define much of what Europe needs to confront in the years ahead. She joined VOYCE because she believes rigorous analysis and political vision belong together, and she is excited to contribute to that work there.

Maria Yankova is from Bulgaria and is currently pursuing a degree in Economics and Management at Bocconi University in Milan. She is particularly interested in the political dimensions of economics, focusing on how institutions, governance, and policy decisions shape economic outcomes. Her work explores the interplay between economic systems and political structures, with an emphasis on how decision-making influence economic growth and stability.

Maria Dimitrova is from Bulgaria and is currently pursuing a degree in International Economics and Finance at Bocconi University in Milan. She is particularly interested in behavioral economics, with a focus on how individuals react to policies and economic shocks. She also explores issues of inequality and differences of economic development within the European Union - how it arises and how it affects the mindsets of people.

Angelica Bareggi is currently a second-year student in Economics and Social Sciences at Bocconi University. Her academic interests focus on the intersection of economic policy and long-term competitiveness, with particular attention to Europe’s capacity to strengthen its economic resilience in an evolving geopolitical landscape. She is especially interested in how policy and economics can be leveraged as tools to support sustainable growth, recognizing that many of Europe’s most pressing challenges, such as preserving its social model and financing the green and digital transitions, depend on the strength and adaptability of its economic base. Her work centers on understanding how productivity, innovation, and effective policy design can reinforce the European Union’s ability to remain competitive in an evolving global landscape.

Riccardo Mencarelli is an Italian student pursuing a Bachelor's degree in International Economics and Management at Bocconi University. He's interested in understanding how institutions and policies can address social inequalities and expand opportunities across Europe.

Alongside his studies, he has gained experience through youth education, volunteering, and other initiatives related to civic engagement.

Giovanni Della Rocca is an Italian student pursuing a Bachelor's in Economics and Social Sciences at Bocconi University in Milan, with an academic background shaped by studies in Boston, United States. His interests center on public policy and development economics, with a particular focus on wealth inequality and redistribution mechanisms, looking at how economic systems create and deepen disparities between social groups and generations. His work aims to better understand the roots of inequality in the European Union and how policy can address it.

Conor Shields is from Scotland and is currently pursuing a degree in Economics at the University of St Andrews. He is particularly interested in international trade and development economics, having completed his dissertation on the economic impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on export flows from the Baltic states. Furthermore, he is passionate about the economic future of Scotland and its relationship with the EU. He is currently investigating the potential economic impact of Scottish independence, and its impact on Scotland's relations with the EU. 

Luca Magnoli Bocchi is an Italian Bachelor’s student in Economics and Social Sciences at Bocconi University in Milan, pursuing an interdisciplinary education spanning quantitative methods, economic analysis, and the social sciences.

His interests focus on political economy, European affairs, and applied economic analysis. Alongside his studies, he has gained experience in consulting and real estate investment analysis through internships in Milan and Athens, and has taken part in selective investment-focused training programmes organised by financial institutions.

His achievements include national-level recognition in mathematics and physics competitions, as well as awards in literature and law. He has complemented his academic path with certifications in robotics and programming from Politecnico di Milano and a Latin language proficiency certification from the Italian Ministry of Education.

At VOYCE, Luca previously served as Head of Community, where he worked on member engagement, internal communication, and the organisation of events and public discussions. He is now a fellow of the Economic Affairs Commission.