Moore School alumnus Federico Michelcich (’20 MIB) decided to pursue the Master of International Business Double-Degree program to complement his management background. Michelcich completed his first year of the double-degree program at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, and his second year at the Moore School.

What skills did you gain from the Master of International Business program?
During the Master of International Business program, I managed to develop a truly international mindset, which leads me to always look for the “bigger picture” and analyze every problem through a global framework. I also learned how to engage with colleagues coming from all over the world. From a technical side, I learned how to analytically analyze a situation and propose a solid data-driven solution thanks to the support of complex statistical models. I use these skills every day in my job as I work in a global team in the finance department at a big multinational company.

Why did you decide to pursue the Master of International Business Double-Degree?
I decided to pursue the double-degree as it was a great complement to my management education. Indeed, thanks to the many electives and the unique program structure, I managed to delve into a wide range of topics such as business analytics, negotiations, consulting, design thinking, etcetera.

What school did you attend and where is it located?
I did my first year of the double degree program at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, where I was enrolled in the MSc in Management program. I graduated in December 2020 defending a final thesis on global corporate governance, which I wrote with the help of my Bocconi supervisor, Professor Alessandro Minichilli, together with Professor Marc van Essen from the Darla Moore School of Business.

Where do you work?
I work at Amplifon in the Global headquarters in Milan, Italy. Amplifon is the world leader in the hearing aid industry with offices in more than 28 countries and almost $2.4 billion in annual revenues. It is also listed in the Italian Stock Exchange as one of the biggest 40 companies. I work in the finance department; my job title is “Global Procurement & Supply Chain Planning & Control Junior Specialist”.

What are your job duties?
Together with my manager, we are in charge of the entire budgeting, forecasting and reporting process for the whole group, and we support the chief procurement & supply chain officer with strategic and operational decisions.

What are some of the most valuable lessons you learned from your time at the Moore School?
Probably the first and most important lesson I learned from my time at the Moore School is that cultural differences are much greater and more relevant than expected. While one surely anticipates that doing business abroad with foreign partners might involve some issues, being able to understand the degree of those aspects and overcome these obstacles is of crucial importance. The Moore School gave me the right tools to do so and feel comfortable in such situations.

Anything else you’d like to add about your time at the Moore School or in the Master of International Business program?
I think that the entire school staff did a tremendous job in assisting the international students and making them feel welcomed and part of the community. I believe that the Moore School managed to develop a true international spirit. Additionally, the many opportunities that the students are offered to get involved with real companies and help them solve practical business challenges are a great added value. I was lucky enough to work as a consultant for the South Carolina Department of Commerce on an education-related three-month project, and I not only had a great time there, but I also felt that our job was meaningful, impactful and appreciated.

-Claire McGrath