We head to Switzerland for this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, to meet Bruno Galetto, IMD MBA Class of 2022, and hear about his journey to Johnson & Johnson. Hailing from Argentina, Bruno sought international exposure in Europe. He also wanted to prepare for his transition from the tobacco industry to MedTech. Read on for how IMD armed him with the knowledge to pursue finance at Johnson & Johnson and more.
Bruno Galetto, IMD MBA ’22, Finance Manager at Johnson & Johnson
Age: 31
Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Torcuato Di Tella University
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Treasurer Brazil – Philip Morris International (2.5 years) – Tobacco
Post-MBA Work Experience: Orthopaedic Finance Manager – Johnson and Johnson (2 years) – MedTech
Why did you choose to attend business school?
I decided to go for an MBA because I realized I was arriving at an inflection point in my career, where it was important to make a big change to re-orient it to what I was looking for.
First, I wanted international experience, especially in Europe. I could have had that at my previous job, but it would have taken longer. Second, I wanted to gain experience in roles outside finance, and rotating within a company is not always possible or easy. Finally, I wanted to take a step forward in terms of leadership experience, adding a highly multicultural experience where I could learn from other talented individuals to my pedigree. While the last point is guaranteed with the MBA at IMD, I hoped this year would also help me to change position and location.
I think this was the right time for an MBA, because I was at a stage where I was experienced enough to contribute to a class discussion, but also young enough to continue learning from my colleagues and to further develop myself with a safety net, before having even bigger responsibilities in a company.
Why IMD? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I chose IMD for three main reasons.
First, because of its focus on General Management. IMD has a strong focus on strategy and leadership, which I think are the two main capabilities of a GM.
Second, because of its small size. I think that makes the experience more unique: being able to know all of your colleagues creates a special ambiance that boosts learning and fosters connecting at a personal level with the class.
Finally, because the class has a higher average age. I believe that having more experienced people in the cohort also helps to create a better learning environment.
What about your MBA experience prepared you for your current career?
There were two main things.
First, the MBA gave me strategic thinking – the framework and tools to approach and understand problems fast. This capacity to quickly adapt and learn was key to jumping to a completely new industry (MedTech) from the tobacco industry. Coming from outside, but proving that I can quickly understand topics and deliver results, accelerated my growth within my current employer.
Second, the MBA prepared me to work in highly international environments. The diversity of the IMD class guarantees an international experience, which is exactly what I am facing now when working in Switzerland (it wasn’t like that in my country of origin).
What was your internship during business school? How did that inform your post-MBA career choice?
I didn’t have an internship during the MBA.
Why did you choose your current company? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to work?
I wanted to work in a big corporation, in the pharma/medtech sector. I applied to several companies and this was the one where the process was successful. I wasn’t so much focused on the company itself but more on the sector and country.
Advice to current MBA students:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of the job search?
Learn about sectors. Once you learn about industry/sector dynamics, this facilitates the understanding of the company specifics you need for an interview process. You also start to use the interviews to deepen your knowledge about the different industries, so it becomes more of an interesting process than a stressful one.
–One thing you would change or do differently as part of the job search?
I would limit the online applications and try to find internal or external referrals. Nowadays, most companies receive tons of online applications, so the chances of getting an interview are low without a referral.
–Were there any surprises regarding your current employer’s recruiting process?
One of the interview sessions was a panel of three people. While one asked the questions, the other two were taking notes and paying attention to the communication style. I don’t know if this was surprising, but it was certainly different from other processes I’ve been through.
–As a member of IMD alumni community now, what piece of advice do you wish you had been given during your MBA?
Amid the busy schedules with curricular and social activities, take time to pause and think about how good this year is. Make sure you consciously enjoy it, because it flies!
