At high school one of my favourite subjects was finance studies. However, I was still unsure of what career path to take. My mother inspired me to pursue finance even if that meant getting out of my comfort zone and moving to a new place. I was very happy to be accepted onto the international business and modern languages programme at Aston University in the UK in 2011. There, I tailored my studies towards the business and management modules while strengthening my French and German.
A placement with KPMG Luxembourg kicked off my career and made me realise the value of qualifying with ACCA. At KPMG I saw an exponential learning curve and career progression as I developed expertise and a strong network. Soon, I was managing teams and client relationships, training younger team members and keeping at the forefront of the latest developments.
I constantly seek opportunities to learn something new and to improve myself
After six years I was ready for a new challenge, so I successfully applied to the European Investment Bank (EIB) as a reporting and accounting officer. This gave me the unique opportunity to work for the lending arm of the EU and therefore contribute towards a sustainable future for all. One of the biggest advantages of working at EIB is feeling I am part of this change.
For over 65 years, the EIB’s mission has been to invest in projects that make a significant contribution to growth, employment, regional cohesion and environmental sustainability in Europe and beyond. An example of this came in March 2022 as the EIB Group signed agreements with the European Commission which aim to build a greener, more digital and increasingly resilient European economy.
Personal and professional growth is at the centre of my daily life, so the mantra that best reflects this is: ‘Better every day’. I constantly seek opportunities to learn something new and to improve myself.
If I had law-making powers, I would like to see tougher legislation against femicide
If I had law-making powers, I would like to see tougher legislation against femicide, especially in countries such as Italy, where my family is from, where the rate of homicides involving female victims has seen an increase in recent years. Italy currently has too few of the shelters required by the Istanbul Convention of 2011, which is aimed at ending violence against women. Italy also suffers from slow response times and reports of abuse by the police, and overly bureaucratic judicial processes.
What I enjoy about my career at EIB is how it has brought me the opportunity to work in a dynamic and multicultural team while having a strong exposure to the operations of the bank. I actively support the implementation of the bank’s key initiatives, and a recent example of this is the setting-up of the new mandate, InvestEU. As a mum, I also appreciate the chance to continue developing my knowledge in a fast-paced environment while having the flexibility and time to devote to my family.
It isn’t easy to for me to pin down my specific achievements because in finance you are often faced with challenges you must overcome. However, in broad terms my biggest achievement is having had a successful career, and always being trusted by my peers and management to take on new responsibilities.
If I hadn’t pursued a career in finance, I would have loved to teach young children, so I could make a difference in shaping future generations.
Outside work I love practising sports and travelling. I find discovering new places, new cultures and other people’s ways of living a truly enriching experience.
