Paolo Torelli

Your time at Imperial College Business School

Why did you choose to study your programme and why specifically at Imperial College Business School?

A career boost/transition together with the development of soft management skills were among main factors leading me to apply for the MBA programme. Imperial’s historical propensity for innovation matched my passion and inspired my decision to choose Imperial College Business School.

What was the most important learning point you took with you from the Business School?

The most important learning point was understanding how to define the balance behind each decision. I acknowledged that in my professional, as well as in personal life, there are many questions foreseeing neither a right nor wrong answer, therefore being able to define a trade-off represents a real advantage.    

What advice would you give to a prospective student considering studying the same programme as you?

During the programme, you will be driven frequently outside your comfort zone. If you are looking to go beyond your ordinary life, then let professionals, lecturers and classmates feed this process, be curious and eager to learn and at the end of the programme you will be ready for your next challenge.

What was the most surprising thing about the programme?

The most surprising thing was the spirit of collaboration between lecturers, classmates and other peers from the Business School. We were all there with the common goal of growing together.
 

Tell us about your current job

How was your career transformed following your programme?

I was promoted to the role of Head of Operational Risk just a few months before the end of my MBA programme and I felt ready to take such an important step. The challenge of leading a team’s turnaround was faced with the support of the programme’s tools and of a new mindset, enhanced with an awareness of my strengths and weaknesses.    

What do you enjoy most about your current work and what are the main challenges that you face?

I’m currently leading the transformation of the Operational Risk team towards the evaluation of new business activities in a trading environment. Making risk assessment of new initiatives and facilitating the final approvers with their decisions requires a fair equilibrium between analytical and strategic thinking. Transforming complex problems into high-level summaries for executives is probably the most difficult but interesting part of my job. Developing knowledge of my team members and contributing to their growth is actually the most enjoyable part.

What is your proudest achievement in the job so far?

I have implemented a rebranding activity of Operational Risk in less than one year, redefining scope to generate real value for the company and changing the image of the team within the organisation. Definition of vision, mission and guiding policies was the first important milestone triggering changes and the achievement of initial quick wins. Today my team manages one of the most important trading processes of the company and all team members are aware of the value created with their daily activity.
 

Alumni community

In what way is remaining connected to your alumni network important to you?

The Imperial alumni community is a golden source of networking. The community is aimed at supporting members’ growth after the completion of the official programme; being an active member is fundamental to share professional experiences, opportunities and also having fun with other alumni.

Have you volunteered at the Business School since you graduated? 

After my graduation, I became a startup coach for MBA Connect. I believe that sharing knowledge and passion with students engaged with a business idea can really make an impact on Imperial’s community.