{"id":3782,"date":"2025-11-13T10:24:33","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T09:24:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/twothirdsdone.com\/?p=3782"},"modified":"2025-11-13T10:24:33","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T09:24:33","slug":"my-first-speech-in-27-years-and-likely-my-last","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/twothirdsdone.com\/it\/2025\/11\/13\/my-first-speech-in-27-years-and-likely-my-last\/","title":{"rendered":"Il mio primo discorso in 27 anni \u2014 e probabilmente il mio ultimo"},"content":{"rendered":"



A\u00a0while back, I was invited to speak at an event connected to the World Business Forum<\/a> conference in Milan which was sponsored by the Italian Institute of Technology<\/a>. At the time, I was beginning a relationship with the organization. Having recently moved to Italy, I was looking for a way to stay connected to technology and to contribute to the country that had welcomed Deborah and me. I also wanted an identity here that wasn\u2019t simply \u201csome old wealthy retired American.\u201d IIT offered a path toward that. Recently, IIT appointed me as the first Fellow<\/a>, giving me an official role at this amazing institute.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I was asked to speak, I immediately said yes. I thought, mistakenly, that I would be speaking on the main World Business Forum stage. I didn\u2019t realize the talk was for a special IIT event with only about a hundred participants. But honestly, I would have accepted even if I\u2019d known.

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Still, when I later stood inside the enormous main hall, which seats 3,000 people, I felt a pang. That was the kind of room I used to speak in regularly, many times a year. I remember finishing talks and being swarmed by people offering business cards like I was some kind of rock star.

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n