Giacomo Coppola always knew that he wanted to live and work in the US. The Italian-born Bachelor in Business Administration alum felt drawn to the fast-moving, hardworking culture there, and made it his ambition to build a career that would lead him to America.
Today, he’s living in Chicago and working as a key accounts director at Oracle, a Fortune 500 company, and has just closed the biggest deal of his career so far. In just a few short years, he’s proved that with the right education, network and mindset, you can achieve whatever you set your sights on.
Accelerating a global mindset
Born in Milan, Giacomo’s global perspective began to form from an early age. At just eight, his family moved to Madrid, where he completed his schooling at an Italian international school. He applied to several universities, but when he was accepted into the Bachelor in Business Administration at IE Business School, his decision was made.
But choosing to study in Madrid wasn’t a way to stay within his comfort zone. Even though he called the city home, Giacomo was looking for a diverse environment, and he knew he’d get that there. “I don’t think there is anything in Europe that’s quite as international as IE Business School,” he notes. “Bringing together all these different people from different places is very enriching.”
Another important factor in Giacomo’s decision was the real-world approach at the heart of IE Business School’s philosophy. This comes from the professors, who work in the business world and draw on their own stories and perspectives to bring learning to life, as well as the hands-on, practical experience that students get from day one. While friends at other universities were preparing for theoretical essays and exams, Giacomo was working in teams and delivering pitches and presentations to real clients, building the skills that have made a real difference in his career.
Finding his path: the value of trying
Giacomo didn’t always plan to work in sales. In fact, when he applied to IE Business School, all he knew was that he’d like to end up in the US, but he didn’t have a clear idea of exactly what he wanted to do. So, he decided to just throw himself into university life, knowing that the path would eventually become clear.
At first, he focused his attention on a career in marketing, thinking he would follow in his father’s footsteps. In his third year, he spent a semester abroad in Florida, continuing to work toward his ultimate goal. Being in the US made it easier to secure his next opportunity, a two-month marketing internship at Tabasco in Louisiana. While the experience was enjoyable, it helped him realize that marketing wasn’t for him. Then, during his final semester, he completed an internship at Expedia, where he worked in sales.
To his surprise, he loved it. Suddenly, a new path opened up. It wasn’t the first time the idea had come up, though. Earlier on, while he was still considering marketing, a classmate shared he could see Giacomo working in sales, believing it would suit him better. It didn’t resonate at the time, but looking back now, he can admit his friend was right. That’s the value of being surrounded by people with different insights, experiences and perspectives: sometimes, they help you see things you wouldn’t have otherwise.
From insight to international career impact
Once he found his passion, Giacomo’s next opportunity came soon after. He received a job offer from Oracle, a multinational tech company, as a business development consultant. The role took him to Dublin, where he worked for a year before returning to Madrid to take on a sales management position within the organization. Still intent on moving to the US, he was delighted when, a couple of years later, he was given the chance to relocate to the Chicago office.
Giacomo jumped at the chance to finally make the transatlantic move and achieve his long-term ambition. Today, he’s still at Oracle and has recently been promoted to key accounts director. In this rile. he’s responsible for some of the company’s most important client relationships and is working toward his latest goal: closing another big deal.
Besides this, he’s been a guest speaker at Harvard, an experience he found hugely rewarding and plans to continue. “I’m trying to do the best I can in my career, but also share that experience with other people,” he says.
A launchpad for global opportunity
By giving him the flexibility and freedom he needed to explore different career paths, the Bachelor in Business Administration helped Giacomo transform his curiosity into direction. Rather than seeing his uncertainty as a hurdle, he recognized that keeping an open mind and trying things out would only bring him closer to where he was meant to be.
Giacomo’s story shows how confidence, ambition and being surrounded by the right environment and people can create the conditions for self-discovery and rapid professional growth. His advice to future students? “Get to know as many people as possible, because everybody there has a story to tell. This web that you’re creating for yourself is going to help you along the way for the rest of your life.”
