Juan Diego Cespedes Henao boasts an open-minded attitude, a fluid approach to business, a set of transferable skills and a great ability to adapt. Add in a healthy dose of enthusiasm and you have a pretty accurate profile of the man.
An alumnus of MIP international MBA, Colombian-born Juan Diego embodies the inquisitive, ambitious spirit of the professional looking to give his career a definitive boost.
After obtaining a degree in Civil Engineering and furthering honing his skills set with a Master in Construction Engineering and Management, Juan Diego went on to gain professional experience in the engineering sector of his native country.
It seemed the start of a career in a specific sector with a set of clearly defined professional skills.
But it wasn’t.
MIP MBA came into Juan Diego’s life like a tornado, revolutionising his plans for the future and creating a potent cocktail of wholly unexpected ambitions and objectives.
The turning point arrived when an internship opportunity came up with the ConTe Admiral group, a leading online insurance company.
“I was immediately intrigued by the MBA Career paths that the company has developed,†states Juan Diego, explaining how the enthusiasm and consummate professionalism of the ConTe team, twinned with his thirst for the challenge of throwing himself into a radically different professional adventure and his desire to immerse himself in European culture by moving to an appealing city like Rome, worked in his favour in applying for the position.
In no time at all Juan Diego had upped sticks and moved to Rome to undertake the summer internship, working directly on strategic analytical projects closely linked to the company’s challenging development plans.
The goals of this experience? One was strictly business-related: “I hope the results achieved will have a lasting impact in the company.†Another looked more to his personal development: “I aim to improve my analysis and communication skills.†And last but not least, Juan Diego had high hopes to meet some new people: “I’d like to expand my network and create long-lasting relations with my colleagues.â€
Juan Diego also has some advice for future MBA students: “After doing an MBA many opportunities will appear. Have a clear idea about what you want, but try to be open to new things.â€
Be open to new things, flexible to change, willing to discover: the three keys to success.
Check out more of Juan Diego’s story by reading the interview in full here.
