Chiara Avino, Business Development Manager

Name: Chiara Avino
CEMS home school: Bocconi University
CEMS host school: Ivey Business School
First NGC project: I started as the HR Manager
Current job title & company: Business development manager

Can you tell us a little bit about you?
I am currently on a sabbatical, traveling around but Covid wise and looking forward to knowing what is next for me.

Can you tell a fun fact about yourself?
I saw whales, dolphins, and sharks during my last boat trip!

When did you first get involved with NGC?
I first joined as the HR manager and then progressed into the Business Development role.

What made you choose to join the NGC board?
I wanted to give back to the CEMS community that was so important for my personal development. Also, I wanted to gain more soft skills in people management and teamwork.

What does your role at NGC entail? And how is it working together with a team of volunteers?
I am in charge of scouting new clients, scoping the projects, and making sure that both our clients and our student consultants are happy. Working with all volunteers is amazing because you can see how everyone make an extra effort to carry their duties out.

What do you do for your full-time job?
I am currently on a sabbatical!

Is it easy to manage your role at NGC at the same time? Do you have any tips on how to juggle these responsibilities?
I think being well organised is key, but it is also easier to manage if you like what you do,. For example, it doesn’t bother me to talk to clients and all!

What has been one of your best moments at NGC?
The monthly meetings we have are one of the highlights. We often put our heads together to tackle new challenges or brainstorm about our future strategy. One of our monthly meetings, when we were brainstorming ideas altogether, was definitely one of the best moments for me!

Has your role at NGC helped you in your career? And if so, how?
My role first role, as HR Manager at NGC, made me more conscious about what the recruiting processes entail, what is important during it and what HR Managers look out for. My role as Business Development Manager, on the other hand, helped me gain more experience in how to face clients.

Do you have any tips for students thinking about applying to NGC?
There is no reason why you shouldn’t apply! It’s a win-win situation, and no other pro-Bono experience can give you so much!

Valerie van der Spree, Marketing Manager

Name: Valerie van der Spree
CEMS home school: Rotterdam School of Management
CEMS host school: WU Vienna
First NGC project: BEAD Technologies
Current job title & company: Data Science & Management Consultant at Celonis

Can you tell us a little bit about you?
I am Dutch but I moved to Spain when I was 11. At the time this was like the worst thing that I could have imagined but now I would not be able to imagine my life any differently. Thanks to this I got an international education, met my boyfriend, and learned to speak three languages fluently.

I studied business in the UK, worked in Supply Chain for two years at a super cool vegan start-up in London, and now just completed my CEMS master in Rotterdam and Vienna. I love traveling, learning about new cultures, and exploring new cuisines. I also love cooking and doing any type of sports in my free time, like surfing, tennis or padel.

One of the things I am most passionate about is sustainability and how we can change small things in our lives to become more sustainable. I would love to work in this in my professional career in the future and it is one of the main reasons why I joined NGC!

Can you tell us a fun fact about yourself?
I have an Instagram account where I share vegan recipes (@valsveganlife). In the future, I would love to make a cookbook, open a café and become a professional food photographer.

How did you first get involved with NGC?
I applied for a student consultant position for the BEAD Technologies project in 2020. I saw it as a great opportunity to learn more about smart cities and to help a startup that is investing in technology to make commercial buildings greener and more sustainable.

What made you join the NGC board?
I absolutely love what NGC stands for; helping startups and nonprofits that support social and environmental causes. Being a student consultant and seeing how much we could actually help such a company with our knowledge and research was amazing! Towards the end of my project, the project manager announced that a PM position opened up. I applied and interviewed for it but we started talking about the marketing position pretty quickly. It fit really well with my profile and the next day I was asked to join the board as the Marketing Manager!

What does your role at NGC entail? And how is it working together with a team of volunteers?
As the Marketing Manager, I am responsible for the NGC website and social channels. I regularly post on LinkedIn and Facebook, update the website with new projects, consultants and blog posts, and I am responsible for maintaining the alumni community.

We also have a monthly board meeting in which we share updates, progress and next steps between the board members. For marketing, this involves a yearly or bi-annual marketing analysis and strategy on our online presence.

I absolutely love working together with the team! Since the beginning, everyone has been very welcoming, open and supportive. It's great to work with like-minded people who are all working together towards a greater good.

What do you do for your full-time job?
I haven't actually started my full-time job yet (but will soon!). In the past I have worked both in consulting and in the food industry, I did an internship at HelloFresh when they were still a startup, I did another internship at Accenture, worked for The Coconut Collaborative for two years in supply chain, and just completed my CEMS internship at Oliver Wyman. I really love data analysis and making companies more sustainable, so hopefully, this will be fostered in the job I am starting soon!

Is it easy to manage your role at NGC at the same time? Do you have any tips on how to juggle these responsibilities?
It requires some planning in advance and good coordination with the rest of the team. Marketing is responsible for the project updates on social, as well as recruiting posts and any other posts. For example, when we're recruiting I work closely together with HR, or when we are looking for new clients I need to coordinate this with Business Development. As the workload is relatively small, it only takes a few hours per week, I usually just sit down one evening or a weekend morning to do the updates and that's it. And the outcome is totally worth it!

What have been some of the best moments at NGC?
After being the Marketing Manager for a couple of months I worked really hard on putting together a thorough and sound analysis of all our channels, as well as some propositions on what we could do next. The appreciation for all the work and effort I put into this was so huge, it just makes me love even more what I do!

Has your role at NGC helped you in your professional career? And if so, how?
Yes, definitely. I think doing some volunteering on the side, especially in consulting really helps your CV stand out, as well as adding lots of skills! It shows that you are passionate about certain topics, that you are proactive and it gives you a great experience to talk about in interviews. I would definitely recommend doing it to further your career as well!

Do you have any tips for students thinking about applying to NCG?
Join us! It has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. When applying, show what you are passionate about and just be yourself! Also, feel free to get in touch with me on LinkedIn if you have any questions :)

Cristine Sousa, Managing Director

Name: Cristine Sousa
CEMS home school: Nova School of Business and Economics
CEMS host school: Rotterdam, Erasmus University
First NGC project: Life Projects 4 Youth
Current job title & company: Customer Success Manager at Hearsay Systems

Can you tell us a little bit about you?
I am a dual citizen, Portuguese/ Canadian, and grew up in Toronto, Canada, yet spent many summers with my grandparents in Nazare, Portugal (home of the biggest wave ever surfed). I have a crush on the world, in that I love exploring new places mostly to meet new people and open my mind to new experiences. Always taking with me something new and leaving a little part of me behind. I have a passion for the arts (music, dancing, singing, acting, you name it - I even won the drama award in high school) but I followed the safer path and took the business route. Today, I like to combine my passions through teaching dance classes, working full-time, volunteering, coming up with new social projects, and most recently building my very own "getaway road trip vehicle" - a camper van! I believe that in order to find yourself, you may have to let yourself get lost ;)

Can you tell us a fun fact about yourself?
On my 30th birthday, my sister thought it would be a good idea to jump out of a plane, so I did! It was amazing!

How did you first get involved with NGC?
I was looking for a job as I was finishing up my CEMS MIM and I saw the opportunity to be a Project Manager for New Generation Consulting. I didn't know where I was going to end up living or what paid positions I would end up taking, but I did know that I wanted to join this group of international CEMSies, using their business skills to support socially good organizations and NGOs. Clearly, it was a good fit, as I remained with NGC for 4 years, from PM to Vice President and 2 years as the Managing Director. I wish NGC could be my full-time job!

What does your role at NGC entail? And how is it working together with a team of volunteers?
I am completing my last year as the Managing Director of NGC. It has truly been an incredible experience working with life-changing NGOs, volunteers, mentors from McKinsey, Bain, and BCG, and our wonderful network of CEMS students and alumni. The dedication of those involved is tremendous especially considering that it is all pro-bono! I remember one of my student consultants saying to me "I have a huge exam tomorrow but I really want to work on my NGC project instead". I would often have to remind the students that this is volunteer work and school has to come first. It is inspiring to see such bright global minds wanting to put their skills into real-life practice and our clients really appreciated all their hard work.

What do you do for your full-time job?
My full-time job currently is working for a great company, Hearsay Systems, as a Customer Success Manager. I help financial organizations provide digital marketing solutions to their advisors in order to deepen customer relationships. I very much enjoy supporting my clients, strategizing, and finding unique and innovative ways to grow their business.

Is it easy to manage your role at NGC at the same time? Do you have any tips on how to juggle these responsibilities?
I try to ensure that when I am working on NGC items, I am fully dedicating my time to it. Whether it is doing a board call during my lunch break, following up with board members during my morning coffee, or following up on items in the evening or on the weekend, I can always find time for NGC. It doesn't feel like work when you are having such a positive and big impact. It also helps that the NGC team is filled with very talented individuals from around the world who are always willing to pitch in, have wonderful ideas, and always support one another. At the end of the day, they keep the NGC engine running!

What have been some of the best moments at NGC?
This is a tough one. I very much enjoy our board meetings, as the team always comes with incredible updates around projects being completed, prospect clients interested in working with us, new recruits, webinar ideas, articles to share, and the list goes on. 
One of my biggest moments at NGC was when I was invited by a client to come on the field and put my consulting project into practice. I spent a month in the slums of the Philippines with Life Projects For Youth (LP4Y) and I wish I could have stayed longer. Seeing NGC’s work come to life was extremely rewarding, it gave me the opportunity to see the large impact our work has on our clients.

Has your role at NGC helped you in your professional career? And if so, how?
Yes, very much! NGC has provided me with consulting skills, leadership skills, teamwork skills, and management skills to name a few. It has allowed me to meet incredible individuals from around the world and work with revolutionizing NGOs. It has also allowed me to realize my passion for social enterprises, and desire to help others.

Do you have any tips for students thinking about applying to NCG?
DO IT! Whether you join for a semester, a year or four, you will not regret this experience. If you are someone who truly wants to make an impact with a global team of incredibly talented individuals, then what are you waiting for? Apply to join NGC today! Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn if you have any questions or want to learn more: www.linkedin.com/in/cristinesousa