Forbes Next Leaders and IED come together to promote the creativity of a new generation: the partnership dedicated to the covers of Next Leaders begins.
Forbes Next Leaders – IED Student designs the February cover of Next Leaders
Date
12 March 2026
IED and BFC Media, the company behind the Italian edition of the renowned international magazine Forbes and the periodical Next Leaders, are launching a partnership aimed at highlighting the creative talent of the new generations, involving students and alumni in the design and creation of the covers of Next Leaders, the magazine that explores the world of entrepreneurship, innovation and the leadership of tomorrow.
The collaboration offers selected young talents a concrete space for editorial and visual experimentation: each month they are challenged through different professional briefs, developed in relation to the themes covered in the magazine and the partners involved.
This approach allows them to engage with real processes, interacting with the language of contemporary publishing and the media system, while at the same time gaining strong editorial visibility.
Participating students and alumni are coordinated by Giancarlo Banchi, Community & Project Manager and IED Milano alumnus, who graduated in Sound Design.
The February Brief: “Listening”
For the February 2026 issue, thanks to the presence of Amplifon as partner, Next Leaders dedicated its editorial to the theme of listening in all its forms:
- human, social and cultural
- managerial and political
- environmental, musical and urban
- scientific and healthcare-related
The brief invited students to explore hearing as a sense, organ, experience and metaphor: from the functioning of the auditory system and the latest research in the field of acoustics, to the meaning of listening to others; from the role of sound in work, society and the environment, to the relationship between music, cities, silence and noise.
The first cover: “Il potere dell'ascolto”
The first cover born from the partnership was created by Asia Cipolloni, an alumna of the Bachelor of Arts in Illustration and Animation at IED Milano.
Among her three project proposals, the artwork selected was the one deemed most aligned with the vision of the issue, recognising the author’s ability to interpret the theme of listening with a powerful and contemporary visual synthesis, capable of communicating with the identity of the magazine.
A project that brings together education, creativity and the publishing industry
Through this partnership, IED and BFC Media reaffirm their commitment to building bridges between the world of education and the professional sphere, offering young talents concrete opportunities for visibility and engagement with real creative production processes.
The covers created by IED students and alumni will, month after month, become an integral part of the narrative of Next Leaders, helping to give visual form to the stories and perspectives of a new generation of innovators.
View all the Forbes Next Leaders covers, created month by month by IED students and alumni.
Original artwork by Asia Cipolloni
Alumna IED Milano - Bachelor of Arts in Illustration and Animation Animazione
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