"I wanted to study an MBA because I wanted to complete my technical engineering profile with the sharper business acumen you gain from an MBA..."
Filippo Capirone
Nationality: Italian
Programme: Full-time MBA, 2019
Pre-MBA: Product Marketing Manager, Fastweb, Milan, Italy
Post-MBA: Project Leader, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Milan, Italy
Current Industry: Consulting
Transitions made: Function, industry
What was your background prior to joining the Business School (formerly Cass)?
I started my career as an engineer for Vodafone, before switching to their Product Management Team, working in Italy and Germany. Following Vodafone, I joined the Italian telecommunications company FastWeb, working in product development in the Marketing Department.
I have two souls: a corporate soul and an entrepreneurial soul. My self-starter mindset meant I strive for more, which is why I decided to launch my own renewables company in 2009 on top of my role at FastWeb. At the time, the renewables industry was quite new and I worked as a consultant, offering clients advice on sustainability, suggesting business opportunities in renewables and assessing their efficiency.
Why did you decide to study the Full-time MBA at the Business School?
I always knew I wanted to study an MBA because I wanted to complete my technical engineering profile with the sharper business acumen you gain from an MBA and felt it would make me a more valuable employee.
I was drawn to the Full-time MBA because of its high Corporate Strategy ranking, which was one of the key areas of knowledge I wanted to develop.
I also liked the central London location: being in the heart of London is a strategic location to study because of the unrivalled access to new businesses and ventures.
The diversity of the School’s MBA graduates is what really makes it stand out, in terms of nationality, gender and professional background. The diversity of the cohort offers us a broader mindset compared to graduates from other business schools as it teaches you how many different possible solutions can work to overcome an issue.
What modules made the biggest difference to your career?
The Corporate Strategy module was the basis for my career change. I found it incredibly engaging and it inspired me to pursue consulting as a career following my MBA. I also really enjoyed the Advanced Business Model and M&A modules. These three modules taught me how to approach any challenge I could be presented with during the interview process.
I truly valued the insights our professors offered us in addition to the academic theories. The insights I gained from my professors is what makes you an outstanding candidate instead of a strong candidate in the job-searching process.
Which international electives did you attend and what did you gain from them?
I attended the International Study Tour in China and the Innovation and Technology Study Tour in Israel and Palestine. I chose these two electives because they were the furthest culturally from my home country of Italy and I wanted to challenge myself.
Going into these electives with an open mind was paramount; I had to unlearn everything I knew and let go of any pre-conceived ideas I had about the countries to truly understand the issues they are experiencing and the goals they are trying to achieve. These international electives were an amazing experience and opened my mind to new realities.
What support did you receive from the Careers and Professional Development Team during your MBA?
The Achieving Your Potential (AYP) week at the Sandhurst Military Academy is a link that carried me through my MBA. I learned so much about teambuilding, teamwork and how to find practical solutions to problems that arise in my everyday life and my business life.
From figuring out my personal strengths and weaknesses, attending mock interviews and leadership sessions, to receiving words of encouragement, each touchpoint I had with the Careers Team gave me a valuable tool to achieve professional success.
I was also proactive about attending corporate engagement events hosted by the Careers and Professional Development Team. I was open to pivoting to a range of sectors post-MBA, so I found the sessions really useful to start gaining a better understanding of the dynamics present in different industries. Attending the corporate events focused on consulting enabled me to figure out what skills I needed to work on to be successful.
I completed my Business Mastery Project with Incomm, sourced by the Careers Team. This was a completely new sector for me and was very helpful in my personal development. While it was challenging to work alone, it showed me the amount of work that goes into consulting projects and gave me a better idea of how you manage a team by delegating tasks.
Tell us about your career path since finishing your MBA?
I started interviewing for the role of Project Leader for the consulting firm Boston Consulting Group in September and joined their Italian office in October. I act as a bridge between our team of analysts, our partners and our clients and oversee projects in Italy, Greece, Turkey and Israel, focusing on telecommunications, media and tech.
My projects have ranged from cost reduction, to due diligence to revenue growth. As corporate projects, I’ve been able to put to use everything I learned during my MBA.
The work is challenging but incredibly rewarding; I enjoy the responsibility I have and am constantly gaining more knowledge.
What tips do you have for someone considering pursuing the Full-time MBA?
Don’t be afraid. Quitting your job to resume your studies is daunting, but I firmly believe that no matter what you are looking to do in your career, there is someone in the Business School’s MBA community that can help you out, whether they are in your cohort or from a different graduating year.
Do you have any memories you would like to share?
Last year, I spent a month travelling with my cohort during and in between international electives – we travelled to China for our international elective and decided to visit Korea and Jordan independently before heading to Israel and Palestine as part of our next elective. My memories of that month travelling are amazing and are some of the best memories of my life.