He graduated cum laude in Economics at LUISS Guido Carli in Rome and completed his education with an Executive MBA at SDA Bocconi in Milan in 2012.

Pernigo began his career in Deloitte in 1996 as Junior Auditor & Consultant for leading Italian companies in the industrial, financial, and service sectors. After a couple of years, he moved to Mediocredito di Roma Spa (Banca di Roma Group) as a financial analyst for industrial credit and extraordinary finance operations. In 2000 he began his experience at the University Campus Bio-Medico where, working alongside Prof. Paolo Arullani (President) and Dr. Piero Lucchini (CFO), he occupied the position of Secretary of the Executive Committee. During his years as Secretary of the Executive Committee, he oversaw various Campus expansion and growth projects including the Trigoria pole investments. In 2004, he was appointed a member of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer. After the University moved to its final location in Trigoria, Pernigo was appointed Secretary General in 2010 at the University Campus Bio-Medico.

From 2013 to 2015, he moved to Milan and assumed the position of Vice President of the Gaetano and Mafalda Luce Foundation, which, in collaboration with the University Campus Bio-Medico and the Piatti Foundation, he was running an autism center in Milan.

Pernigo then moved to Santiago, Chile, to collaborate on the take-off of the Clinica de la Universidad de los Andes, a recently started university hospital. In Chile, he oversaw planning and control assuming the position of CFO, which he held until his return to Italy in 2021.

Since 2022 he has been Vice President of the University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome and a member of the Board of Directors of the Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico Foundation.