How come you chose Gothenburg?
While I was doing my Master's in LUISS Guido Carli in Rome, the opportunity of pursuing the Double Degree programme came up. I applied and was selected to participate, and I had to choose between Portugal, China, Spain, the USA, Switzerland, and Sweden. I wanted to stay in Europe, and as my degree was in Innovation and Management I felt that the School of Business, Economics and Law in Gothenburg was well-recognized in these fields. I had also heard good things about Gothenburg in general, so I was very curious about an experience in Sweden.
Tell us about the Master’s Programme in Innovation & Industrial Management!
The programme was a mix between Innovation Management, Research Methods, Industrial management and Business/Manufacturing processes, Entrepreneurship and hands-on "business consulting-alike" experiences. As a result, I learned the basics of business strategy, business consulting, industrial management, innovation management, IP etc. and how to write a research paper. There was also an international vibe in the programme and at the School, thanks to the high number of exchange and double degree students.
You were part of a Master’s thesis collaboration at Volvo Group, tell us more!
I started by deciding the theme I wanted to explore in my Master’s thesis, by combining my interests, what was hot in the industry at the time, and something related to new tech & innovation. The result was “the role of IoT (internet of things) as a strategic enabler to turn product-based offerings for manufacturers into service-based ones”. The School put me in contact with The( )Space, an agency that helps fill the gap between the academy and the business sector, which gave me company contacts. I then used these contacts together with my LinkedIn profile to reach out to Volvo Group, as well as to some other companies in the Gothenburg region.
I then got the chance to collaborate in-office for quite a while with Volvo, who were particularly interested in the subject of my thesis. It basically was a win-win partnership to get to the bottom of the research piece.
What did you think of life outside of your studies in Gothenburg?
I think it was great! You had the chance to explore two completely different seasons. In winter we experienced iced lakes, true authentic Christmas vibes, and a trip north to Kiruna and Abisko to see the northern lights and explore the amazing nature. In the summer it was bright 18 hours a day, you could go hiking in nature, swim in lakes, have late barbecues and get involved in sports activities, and travel across Stockholm, Lund and the archipelago of Gothenburg. The city offers all the attractions a student will need, from pubs, restaurants, parks, nightclubs, museums, activities, events, and stadiums and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I used to spend my time with the other students I met there, going out, hiking and travelling across the city and the country. I also had the chance to join the Göteborg Sim water polo team, with whom I trained 2/3 times a week and had the chance to travel across the country for the away matches. Great experience!
How did you get your job in London?
After the Master's in Gothenburg, I started working at Accenture Italy, about 5 years ago. After 1 year I managed to get internally transferred to the company’s London Office, and 6 months later I was on location in the UK.
What is it like to work in London?
London is a huge city, extremely multicultural with people, talent and companies from all over the world. The work environment is very fast-paced and challenging, so you want to stay at pace and try to get the most out of it - opportunities are limitless and you don’t want to get lost! All the world's companies are here and you get to work for the largest and most innovative value propositions and leading industry players. You feel like you're in the professional centre of Europe. I was born and raised in a big city (Rome) and I personally really like all of this, and the continuously evolving and changing landscape.
Can you tell us more about your position at Automation Logic?
I recently joined this smaller, emerging, startup-like tech-consulting company, focused on Cloud, DevOps and Agile! I Have a strategy-focused role where I help Define and shape their business, and architect innovative value propositions to expand their market and upskill their workforce of engineers!
Before you joined Automation Logic, you worked at Accenture. Can you tell us more?
At Accenture, I was a business and tech consultant, supporting clients’ companies in achieving their business needs by leveraging and combining new technology, innovation, and lean ways of working. Accenture is the leading Business & Tech consulting firm, and my role was, depending on the project, leading teams for large tech deliveries and designing and advising on best practices, operating models, roadmaps, process optimizations and coaching on modern, agile and DevOps, ways of working.
Do you have any tips for someone pursuing an international career?
One way is to study a Master’s in the country you want to work in. Another is to join a large corporation with offices around the world, which can give you the opportunity to change offices. In any case, flex your English, build a strong and active network, get as many opportunities as you can, and then be proactive enough to find pulls that will get you wherever you want to be!
