Born and raised in a small town in Argentina, Mariano Bomaggio has always been interested in exploration—of the world and its cultures, and of the opportunities to accept new challenges.
"When I started university," Mariano explains, "I began with an interest in engineering. But during my undergraduate career, I became more interested in the business side of things. It seemed more complex; there were more dimensions you cannot control compared to a standard engineering problem."
After graduation, Mariano spent a couple of years in the airline industry, followed by two years in technology: first in the European Union and Africa, then with Uber in Latin America. His experiences awakened an interest in finance, which in turn motivated him to pursue an MBA.
Learning how people think
For Mariano, attending HBS represented, "a way to shift. I've got many passions on the career front, so I came to HBS to explore them. I saw it as a perfect way to discover what I really enjoy within different industries and places to work."
In his finance classes, Mariano has been exposed to "how managers think about strategy. I had operational experiences before, but no real experience of how C-suite executives think." His Leadership & Organizational Behavior (LEAD) course offered a different perspective on executive leadership. "I realized how much the culture of a company influences the big decisions managers make. Before, I thought it was mainly driven by profitability. But now, I think about how decisions fit within the culture of a company."
Outside of class, Mariano has been active in the Finance Club, where he has helped organize recruiting sessions with various banks. "I became the point of contact between the club and people interested in finance job opportunities."
His interest has been reciprocated by his colleagues’ support. "There's an expectation that people here are self-centered and competitive. It's completely the opposite—people want to help you! You get help for whatever you want to achieve. I've been amazed by how much you learn from your classmates – that's the highest value-add I’ve experienced here."
For his EC year, Mariano is considering "getting involved in an independent project, like helping a start-up company with its growth strategy," or "doing something with a more international perspective outside the U.S., maybe in Africa."
When asked about his plans after graduation, Mariano confides that it's "a tough question! I want to keep learning, probably within the finance world, at the intersection of finance and technology." There's one thing he’s certain of: “I want to grow in a market where I don't have experience – I want a cultural challenge."