Despite vast practical experience, David Even wanted to broaden his understanding of business, so chose to study for an MBA at SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan (pictured above). His experience on the MBA programme gave him the confidence to pursue ambitious projects, leading to his current role as CEO and co-founder of Primal Footwear.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your career to date?
My career has been shaped by entrepreneurship, sustainability and international business. I started in hospitality and luxury travel, which gave me early exposure to global markets and the importance of customer experience. Over time I became increasingly interested in how businesses can innovate while reducing their environmental impact.
This led me to work on projects at the intersection of sustainability and consumer products, and ultimately to co-found Primal Footwear, a company focused on circular hospitality footwear. I have always enjoyed building projects from the ground up, working across cultures and translating ideas into practical and scalable solutions.
What does your current role involve?
I am currently CEO & co-founder of Primal Footwear. My role covers strategy, product development, partnerships and fundraising. We design circular, washable footwear solutions for the hospitality industry to replace disposable slippers with higher quality reusable alternatives.
A large part of my work involves collaborating with manufacturers, sustainability partners and hotel groups across Europe. At the same time, I focus on defining the company’s long-term strategy and developing relationships with investors and distribution partners. Like many start-up roles, it combines strategic thinking with practical execution.
Why did you want to study for an MBA and why did you choose this particular school?
I completed my MBA at SDA Bocconi School of Management in 2020. The experience was intense and transformative, allowing me to deepen my understanding of strategy, finance and leadership while working with a highly international group of classmates.
I pursued an MBA to broaden my understanding of business and gain the tools needed to build and scale companies. While I already had practical experience, I wanted a structured environment where I could challenge my thinking and learn from both professors and peers.
SDA Bocconi stood out for its strong reputation in Europe, its international student body and its close connection to the business community. Milan itself is also an inspiring place to study, with a strong mix of entrepreneurship, design and industry.
What is the most interesting thing you learnt from your MBA?
One of the most valuable lessons was the importance of structured decision-making. In entrepreneurial environments many decisions are driven by intuition. The MBA taught me how to combine intuition with rigorous analysis.
Whether evaluating markets, building financial models or defining strategy, learning to approach problems systematically has been extremely useful. It also reinforced how important leadership and team dynamics are in turning strategy into real results.
What were some of the challenges you faced when studying for an MBA?
The intensity of the programme was one of the biggest challenges. The pace is fast, the workload is heavy and you are constantly working on multiple subjects and group projects. At the same time, you are surrounded by highly accomplished people from different industries and cultures. While this can feel demanding, it is also what makes the learning experience so valuable. It pushes you to grow quickly and to see problems from many different perspectives.
How has the MBA made a difference to your career path and leadership journey?
The MBA gave me both the confidence and the framework to pursue more ambitious projects. It strengthened my understanding of strategy, finance and organisational design. It also helped me develop a more structured leadership approach: setting clear priorities, building strong teams and making decisions with a long-term perspective. In many ways, it accelerated my transition from working within organisations to building one myself.
In what ways have you taken what you learnt in your MBA into the organisation you work for?
Many elements of the MBA are directly applicable to building a start-up. Strategic thinking, financial planning and stakeholder management are part of our daily work. When developing Primal Footwear, we used frameworks from the MBA to evaluate markets, refine our value proposition and design a scalable business model. Just as importantly, the leadership lessons have helped shape the way we build our team and culture.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about studying for an MBA?
Approach the MBA with a clear objective but remain open to unexpected opportunities. Some of the most valuable lessons come from classmates, projects and the network you build during the programme. The relationships you form often become as important as the academic content.
What are the next steps on your career path?
My focus now is on scaling Primal Footwear and demonstrating that circular product systems can become the new standard in hospitality. The goal is to build a company that combines strong design, sustainability and operational efficiency, while contributing to a broader shift away from disposable products.
