Born in Milan in 1965, Stefano Paleari is Full Professor of Corporate Finance at the University of Bergamo, Chairman of the Coordination Committee of Human Technopole, and Special Commissioner of Alitalia.

During his career, he has held several positions related to Air Transportation, both in public and private entities: he has been Scientific Director of the ICCSAI (International Center for Competitiveness Studies in the Aviation Industry) and External examiner in the MSc in Air Transport Management at the Department of Air Transport of the Cranfield University (UK).

As far as his service to the academic community is concerned, he was Rector of the University of Bergamo, from 2009 to 2015, President of the CRUI (the Italian Council of the Rectors of Italian Universities) from September 2013 to September 2015 and Board Member of the EUA (European University Association) from April 2013 to April 2017.