Simone Dongu
President, The Dongu Group
Bio
Simone Dongu is the founder and president of The Dongu Group (TDG), a diversified holding company overseeing subsidiaries operating across consulting, technology, insurance, marketing, education, asset management, real estate, and nonprofit sectors. Headquartered in South America, TDG maintains a global footprint with established offices in the United Kingdom and Italy, and plans for expansion into Dubai.
Simone's journey began in 1995 as a system administrator apprentice at a local internet service provider, where he worked with Linux and DOS systems while developing B2B web solutions. Simultaneously, he wrote IT articles for local newspapers and conducted technology lectures in public schools. By age 19, he had already launched his first company, demonstrating early entrepreneurial spirit.
His academic credentials include specialized training from prestigious institutions such as the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business (Business Strategy), University of Western Australia (Work Psychology), University of Illinois (Strategic Innovation), MIT (Entrepreneurship), and the Internet Advertising Bureau (Digital Marketing).
Under Simone's leadership, TDG has achieved remarkable milestones, often collaborating with the University of Cagliari. These partnerships yielded a €1.5 million VR project promoting the heritage of Sardinia, one of the poorest regions in Italy, as well as a healthcare program addressing severe obesity, and one of Italy's first interactive training programs involving law enforcement and forensics.
After deliberately maintaining a low profile while building his business ecosystem, Simone stepped into the public spotlight in Q1 last year, recognizing the need for greater visibility to advance his organization's values. His innovative applications of AI in business and community settings attracted academic attention, leading to a research position with the University of Cagliari's HOLMES project, which explores AI's impact on creativity, law, and intellectual property.
He is currently focused on structuring the advanced integration of technology in scaling businesses, a vision that culminated in his recent recognition with the 2024 Business Leadership Excellence Award in Dubai.
Personal Quote:
“Great leaders know outcomes aren’t wishful thinking, they’re engineered. I teach my mentees a simple truth: if you want a consequence, create its cause through deliberate, strategic action. - Simone Dongu”