From Milan to London and Back (Possibly)
LONDON IS TOPS FOR PEOPLE WORKING IN FINANCE, SAYS THE BOCCONI ALUM, BUT IF HE HAPPENED TO GET A CALL FROM ITALY...There are those who decide to embark on an international experience after consolidating a career in Italy and those who instead start their careers abroad with the idea of perhaps coming back one day. It's to the latter group that Luca Tres belongs. He got his Bocconi undergraduate degree in Economics of Financial Markets (CLEFIN) and then earned his Master of Science in Finance in 2007. Today he is Partner and Head of Life at Securis Investment Partners, an investment fund with headquarters in London. "After graduation, I got job offers both from Milan and London,” he recalls, “I chose the second and I have not regretted it."
His choice was not been dictated by xenophilia: "It was just a better professional opportunity. I joined Deutsche Bank to work on multinationals and Swiss financial institutions." Yet an experience in the great financial capital and its international climate should not be missing from the curriculum of a young graduate: "In London, you have tons of opportunities, you can do all-round experiences and then choose what you'd like to specialize in. And, if you wish, you can also return to Italy. Or move to another country, because life offers many opportunities. If they are meaningful from both the work and private life points of view, you need to make the leap and seize them. Such opportunities should be sought, whatever it takes."
After an internship at Goldman Sachs working in M&A, Luca Tres joined Deutsche Bank to deal with debt capital markets, then moved to derivatives and risk management solutions. Two years ago, another change: "I seized the opportunity to jump on the buying side of financial things, by joining one the largest hedge funds trading in insurance risk," he explains. "We are dealing with an innovative and growing sector, that of Insurance-Linked Securities. I became partner and head of the business for life insurance in January. "
London, with Brexit at the gates, is going through a particular moment, but Luca Tres sees no imminent changes: "I think that London will still remain a major financial marketplace, but if I got a better opportunity elsewhere I would not have problems to make another career move, especially if it allowed me to return to Italy, since Milan, according to some, might aspire to become one of the new European financial capitals, along with other marketplaces such as Frankfurt and Paris."
But should he choose, where does Luca Tres imagine to be in a few years? "Switzerland is an attractive prospect for its quality of life, international environment and professional work. Well, if got an offer coming from there.. Anyway, my heart is still in Italy."
by Davide Ripamonti
Translated by Alex Foti
