From ESCP to Amazon: Silvia Masoero on Building an International Career in London

From ESCP to the UK

Can you briefly talk us through your career journey since graduating from ESCP and where you are today?

After graduating from ESCP in 2019, I completed an internship at L’Oréal in Marketing Development in Paris. When that ended, I had the choice of either joining another beauty company in London, which had offered me another six-month internship, or joining Amazon as a graduate. I chose the latter, as it was a permanent job, despite not knowing which department I would be assigned to. I ended up in Books, which was great news as I have always been a big reader. I have been in the same team ever since, and have been promoted twice into different roles.

Looking back, which experiences, skills or opportunities at ESCP best prepared you for the realities of working in your industry?

ESCP opened up loads of opportunities from a work perspective. As a foreign national, I don’t think it would have been as easy for me to get a job at Amazon in London if I hadn’t had the experience of working for international companies such as L’Oréal (in Paris, my Y2 MiM internship) and Reckitt (in London, my Y1 MiM internship) during my time at ESCP. These experiences not only helped me build my CV, but also gave me confidence working in international environments, which the school had already prepared me for. ESCP also offered me a ton of resources to prepare myself for interviews, improve my CV writing and build my own professional network. That was absolutely invaluable to get me where I am now.

What role have the relationships and networks you built at ESCP played throughout your career?

The network I built at ESCP has been valuable throughout my career, both professionally and personally. A lot of the people I met at ESCP have gone on to work in different industries and countries, so it’s been great to maintain those connections and learn from their experiences. I’ve also benefited from the ESCP network when exploring new career opportunities, as alumni are often very willing to share advice, make introductions or simply have a conversation about their experience. I got my first internship at Reckitt, in London, at the time I was studying in Turin, entirely through networking with a former alumnus on LinkedIn!

Future Skills and Career Advice

Looking ahead, what do you think the next generation of leaders in your sector will need to succeed? And what would you encourage someone considering the Master in Management to make the most of at ESCP to prepare for that future?

I would strongly recommend trying to make the most of the opportunity to work and study across different countries, as that definitely becomes more difficult once you start working somewhere, settle in a country, start a family, etc.

Lean into the opportunities the School offers: job fairs, recruiters coming to campus, networking events and opportunities to meet other students. It’s hard to put yourself out there, especially when you don’t know what you might get from it, but it really does pay off in terms of opportunities. Most importantly, I would encourage students to stay curious and be open to opportunities that may not initially seem like the obvious next step.