International Alumni testimonials

Danilo Mura, GEM MIB 2012 and European Country Manager & Affiliate Professor at GEM, sat down with several alumni to talk about their professional journeys after GEM.

Vito Ingrassia, GEM MIB 2018, National Account Manager at De'Longhi Group

The International Negotiations course at GEM confirmed what I had always known: I truly enjoy bargaining and creating the best value for everyone. Surrounded by students from all over the world, I discovered perspectives I would never have considered at home, which opened my mind and strengthened my ability to approach problems from new angles.

This passion naturally led me into sales. I started as a Sales Intern at Philips in Milan and quickly advanced to Key Account Manager, managing a variety of channels—loyalty campaigns, TV shopping, distributors, and physical retail stores. Each experience challenged me to combine analytical thinking with hands-on in-store activation, shaping the way I solve problems and work with clients.

Looking for new challenges, I joined De’Longhi Group as National Account Manager WEB, overseeing Amazon and other channels such as TV shopping and loyalty campaigns. This role allows me to grow my expertise in online business while continuously refining the skills I have developed throughout my career.

My advice for all GEM students: always be flexible and eager to take on new projects. The path to your goals is rarely straight, but adaptability and determination will get you there.

Teresa Mariniello, GEM MSc 2020, Worldwide Home Printing Segment Lead at HP

I joined Grenoble École de Management to take part in the MSc in Innovation, Strategy, and Entrepreneurship and without a doubt, that decision shaped the trajectory of my entire career. That program didn’t just teach me business fundamentals; it completely shaped the way I work and think today.

Of course, hard skills matter. But what really made the difference for me were the soft skills I developed: things like teamwork, leadership, and communication. The defining moment of the program for me was a business trip to the Silicon Valley. We, the students, were in charge of organizing visits to companies we found inspiring. I took the lead on setting up a visit to HP’s headquarters in Palo Alto. That visit turned out to be a turning point in my life.

While organizing the trip, I met someone in HP San Francisco who encouraged me to apply to HP and even offered to refer me. As soon as I got back to Grenoble, I applied for a Services Cost Lead position opened in Grenoble itself and just three days before finishing my first year of the master’s, I got a full-term contract!
From there, things moved fast. I started working on the consumer PC business, then got promoted to lead cost strategy for commercial PCs: the biggest part of HP’s services business. Over the past six years, I’ve moved across different areas, from PCs to print, and now I’m in a role that really fits my passion: I’m the Global Category Lead for Accidental Damage Protection services in the Commercial PC division, where I focus on developing services strategy and implementation.

My advice to all GEM students? Stay curious and humble. Build meaningful connections and invest in developing your soft skills. Anyone can study to earn a certificate, but the ability to collaborate effectively and communicate with ease is what opens the door to the most rewarding opportunities

After a decade in the IT industry, taking on roles ranging from web developer to CTO of a Series A startup, I decided to join the GEM MBA program. While my technical background was strong, I realized I lacked a broader understanding of business strategy and management - the kind of insight needed to scale ideas into sustainable success.Joining the MBA journey at GEM turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made. Returning to university after years in the professional world was both challenging and immensely rewarding. The program was thoughtfully designed, up-to-date, and provided many opportunities to apply newly acquired knowledge in a semi-controlled environment - through numerous group projects and a real-life case study with partner companies.

After graduating, I joined a deep-tech cybersecurity startup, KOR Labs, where we measure the internet and uncover threats that impact people and organizations worldwide. As we’re in the early stages, I wear many hats - from managing engineering and research teams to conducting market research and identifying business opportunities. A significant part of my role involves shaping our product–market fit and go-to-market strategy, bridging technical innovation with real customer needs. The MBA program was truly the missing piece in my professional puzzle, helping me connect my technical expertise with business acumen and strategic thinking.

My advice to future GEM students: stay curious, step outside your comfort zone in every class, apply what you learn as often as possible, and always be kind - your network will be one of your greatest assets.

Edoardo Ciprandi, GEM MIB 2004, Analyst Private Equity Group at Bain & Company

Tracking my career back to the start, I’m truly grateful for my time at GEM, which shaped both my professional and personal growth. Studying in the MSc MIB program was a real launchpad for a global career: it helped me find my direction and gave me the opportunity to build connections with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. I believe the critical thinking, adaptability, and multicultural awareness I developed at GEM have been the value added I’ve carried throughout my career.

 During my time at GEM, I completed two curricular internships. My first was at Verisure in Madrid, a high-tech security multinational, where I focused on global product strategy, innovation, and business intelligence. For my second internship, I was responsible for consumer insights at Pernod Ricard, a French giant owning around 240 alcohol brands worldwide. There, I was directly involved in exciting projects such as launching non-alcoholic versions of existing beverages and repositioning brands in the aperitif segment. My thesis was inspired by this experience, allowing me to combine professional and academic practice through personal market research.

 Right after, while waiting for my graduation, I decided to explore a new domain through an internship in strategy consulting at Accenture, where I experienced consulting life with frequent travels between Milan and Rome. Upon graduation, still drawn to international life and eager to pursue an opportunity within MBB, I moved to Warsaw to join Bain & Company as an Analyst for Private Equity related global cases. Here, I continue to sharpen my analytical and interpersonal skills by rotating across different teams and cases. 

My advice to Grenoble students starting their careers? Your path is what you make of it. Through GEM, you have the power to shape your future according to your ambition, if you take the most out of every experience, and stay open to undertake new challenges and to learn from the diversity of people surrounding you.

Basilio Boninu, GEM MSc 2021, Product Specialist at Revolut

When I was in my 20s, I was finishing my degree in Philosophy with an academic career in mind, but I realized that this was no longer the path I wanted to follow. Through both university courses and personal experiences, I discovered that I wanted to understand how ideas could be turned into action and how strategy, communication, and innovation could drive real change.

Taking such a leap is not always easy in Italy. However, by a stroke of luck, during a university presentation event, I discovered GEM, in particular the MSc in Innovation, Strategy and Entrepreneurship. I am especially grateful to Professor Danilo Mura, whose presentation at that time and guidance throughout the MSc were pivotal in shaping my successful transition from Philosophy to Business.

Right after graduation, I joined Ebury, a fintech leader in FX solutions, as a Business Developer in Milan with a full-time contract. Within a few years, I was promoted twice, becoming a Senior Sales Executive, before being hired by Revolut — a digital bank that is reshaping finance in Europe and is now the fifth largest bank in Italy by number of clients. I currently work as a Product Sales Specialist in FX Forward, acting as the sole salesperson responsible for the rapidly expanding Italian B2B market.

GEM played a crucial role in giving me the confidence to change my path, and the MSc provided me with the knowledge and experience to explore new opportunities and persevere even when the circumstances seemed impossible to overcome.

My advice to all of you: don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. Even when it doesn’t seem possible at first, there is always another way forward — sometimes all it takes is a bit of imagination and perseverance. Leverage the power of the GEM network, and feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn, especially if you are curious about the growing world of digital banking or interested in opportunities at Revolut.

Amanda Lindström, GEM MSc 2024, Project Management Consultant at Toyota

If you want to develop personally and professionally, look for the challenge and check yourself when making decisions whether they are made from a fixed or growth mindset. 

After I finished my bachelor’s in international management at Jönköping International Business School I worked for a year before starting my master’s at GEM. Even though I was in a good position to start out my life and career, there was an itch to discover something different and to learn more from living abroad and continuing my studies. 

I decided to move to Grenoble and pursue a master’s in business development, and it changed everything. I immersed myself into an incredible international community of like-minded and intelligent people who are now part of my network across the globe. I had my first internship with Toyota’s new mobility initiative KINTO Mobility and realized that my previous interest and experience in the automobile industry had more to offer than I thought. Our classes at school had a very practical application and we were constantly focused on innovation and discovery of new business models. The school was also very integrated with the business community in terms of professors and the alumni network. This led me to my end-of-studies internship at a supply chain start-up in Paris. I felt the need to challenge myself once again by getting some experience working in the tech industry and at a French company. I came away from that experience having worked in my third language and in an industry that I had little knowledge of before. This helped me grow both professionally and personally, discovering my limitations and finding ways to not only overcome them but to learn from them. 

Fast forward one year later, I have started my own company working as an independent consultant for Toyota Sweden. I have come back to my roots, both country and industry, a lifetime of experiences richer and full of drive to create new exciting things. I have a full-time commitment working as a Project Management Consultant within Business Development. Even though I am currently in the perfect place, loving what I do and being challenged every day, this journey has only begun. It’s a choice of staying open to where your path might take you. Don’t limit yourself.