Nicolò Bonfanti

My name is Nicolò Bonfanti, and I am on my second year of a Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Carlo Cattaneo University (LIUC). In addition to this, I have recently started an internship with Deloitte.

I had the unique opportunity of participating in the Erasmus+ program in Barcelona at the Toulouse Business School, where I completed the course in International Business with an average grade of 3.95/4, taking part of the TBS Education MSc International Business.

The four-month course allowed me to equip myself with an encyclopaedic knowledge of international business, positioning, supply chain, M&A, and business dynamics in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; furthermore, I had the opportunity in each course to put into practice the knowledge I had acquired in class during the final presentations and exams.

Was it difficult to find an interesting internship?

The major bottleneck I encountered in finding an attractive and challenging internship was primarily the selection and alignment between what the market had to offer and my university background and ambitions.

What did you like the most when applying to Deloitte? What are your future expectations about being an intern in that company?

The most striking feature that attracted my interest while applying at Deloitte was their value proposition: make an impact that matters.

I have always embraced this motto, as I would like to ensure that the knowledge I have gained during my university years and the skills I have acquired through taking certifications and courses will enable me to bring value to the company I intern at and, in the future, to the community that surrounds me.

At Deloitte, I will hopefully be able to grow both professionally and personally, continuously enhancing myself and expanding my international network, as the company operates globally in more than 150 countries.

Do you think it is fundamental to apply for an intern position while studying? Why?

Personally, I consider the choice of an internship position during the university period to be non-essential. 

According to my study plan, an internship is mandatory in order to graduate with a Master’s degree. Furthermore, I would like to add that before applying, I decided to complete all the exams of the study plan, since I wanted to achieve an excellent academic result but also wanted to be able to focus the last months of my university career on both the Deloitte internship and the thesis, which I will be doing with Professor Mario Alberto Varon Garrido, on the intersection of ESG factors within the Fintech industry.

About TBS Education-Barcelona: 

Why did you decide to study with us?

I have decided to study at TBS in Barcelona for numerous reasons, first and foremost for the competence of the academic teaching faculty, composed of highly experienced international managers and professors in topics that arouse considerable interest in me.

Additionally, the new campus is established in a highly innovative and technological area where entrepreneurial spirit invades the university lecture halls, creating a close connection between the world of business and the university world. Being the generation of the future, the managers of tomorrow, we must live this reality on a daily basis in order to be able to face any kind of challenge in the best possible way and embrace change, so that we perceive not difficulties but only solutions. As a matter of fact, the university has a start-up incubator, in which I was able to take part thanks to my entrepreneurial project that I and my fellow students from the Carlo Cattaneo LIUC University designed and then won, ranking first in a contest for the city of Milan.

What do you miss the most about studying in Barcelona and TBS?

I greatly regret my classmates, teamwork, group presentations, and also the weather; it’s considerably colder in Italy!

Joking aside, I definitely miss the established human relationships. As inclusiveness and internationalization are at the heart of university life, thanks to the multiplicity of students from all over the world, one gets the privilege of getting different points of view in one location, thus allowing one’s field of vision to expand.

What did you like the most about our teaching methods?

Can everything be said? The flagship of TBS is the expertise and competence of the teaching staff, with their knowledge and methodology based on the explanation of theoretical concepts from practical analyses implemented in international companies.

In order to enable future TBS students to really learn the added value of this university, I will explain the main case studies used for each exam:

• Professor Barron: Toyota and Hyundai – Lobbies
• Professor Lacoste: M&A – Essilor Luxottica
• Professor Filipescu: International firms – Alibaba 
• Professors Calleja Blanco and Hernandez: International Supply Chain – Four Seasons Resort Hotel
• Professor Waleed: Business Dynamics in the Middle East – EMAAR
• Professor Qin: Business Dynamics in Asia – Lego in Singapore
• Professor Plaza: Business Dynamics in Europe – Policies and Regulations of Trade
• Professor Jean Paul David: International Markets – Fontana Pietro Spa
• Professors Breyer and Gonzalez: Soft skills certification 

A further distinguishing feature of the university is the availability of professors for clarifications on topics discussed in class, in-depth studies, and thanks to the open class mode of lectures, i.e., based entirely on what do you think? Do you agree with your partner?
It allows you to expound your thoughts and concepts through class discussion, enabling you to enrich yourself and create real business discussions with all your peers.
 
As a final experience and learning mode, I had the honor of applying to participate in a course that involved helping a Spanish company with its internationalization; as a result, my classmates and I helped the company to position itself internationally and improve its marketing strategies.

What is your best memory at our campus?

I have no better memories than others but a succession of unique and indelible moments. 

Certainly, the first day, when I met my classmates, in particular I made friends with a Ukrainian boy and a Moroccan girl. Together we were like three inseparable, always together and complementary. 

One other wonderful memory that comes to mind is the introduction of a company, we had worked hard day and night, we were extremely tired but in the end, we surprised the teacher and I received compliments from my classmates. 

A really special moment was the day I received the confirmation that I had been admitted to the TBSeeds incubator, where I was able to pursue the entrepreneurial idea, mine and that of three of my classmates, that had been born in the first year of my degree course at LIUC.  

It was a period of my life that I will always hold in my heart, as an experience that enriched me greatly as a person, I think I gave of my own but received much more.

Would you recommend this experience to other students? Why?

Bearing in mind the current times we are living in, I have no doubt that the opportunity to confront ourselves with people who are culturally, socially, and religiously different can only increase our awareness that being together does not mean homologating, but always finding a positive and constructive way to grow, to confront each other in order to always find an improvement while respecting everyone’s diversity, and I might add now: to seek and live in peacefulness.