A tale of two cities. From Verona to Bucharest

Q1: How did your journey with Mazars Italy start?

My journey in Mazars started 4 years ago, in July 2016, and it was actually the continuity of the previous career when I worked as an auditor in another firm. In fact, due to a merge of two accounting middle size companies (one of those was indeed the “old” Mazars Italy), the senior management I’ve always been working alongside with decided to move to Mazars, which back then had to face a new challenge: the reconstruction. To tell the full story, at that time I wasn’t working in audit, but for a small tax firm in Verona and as fate would have it, I met Alfonso who is the Audit Partner. After a quick coffee break together, he started drafting the idea of having back the old team. In 2 months I was back on track…let’s say it was the first brick of the new Mazars office in Verona.

Q2: What made you want to relocate?

Mazars has always pushed us to dare because having an international career exposure is considered a plus. A while ago, at the annual meeting for the Italian Mazarians in Pavia, the Managing Partner for Italy at that time, Pascal Jauffret, challenged us to take part in the Move Program. The program has the purpose to relocate people, within another company in the Mazars group temporarily, as a secondment. That was the moment that I started to realize that I would want to live a working experience abroad. Traveling somewhere for work is not completely new to me, as I experienced an internship program abroad right after the university, but as it was only a 3 months experience, it felt like “just a taste” of the change I was about to go through. At the same time, the Move Program would have been another “taste” and I decided to dare further. I also started to think about where I would like to move the most, and the choices I drafted at that time were: Dubai, Portugal, and Romania. There were three main reasons for my decision to relocate. I believe that living abroad is one of the most valuable things in life. Visiting other countries and getting to know other cultures is a unique way to develop yourself not just as a professional. Relocation means also facing new challenges and difficulties. I wanted to expand my comfort zone, to develop, and to give myself a new perspective of the world. Last but not least, I considered the chance to build an international professional network, which will be a great asset to my curriculum vitae and will result in a stronger profile. I believe this will be an asset to Mazars as well. Being already connected on LinkedIn with colleagues abroad, I started getting in touch with them. The most responsive country was Romania and I met Ella, the partner in charge of audit recruitment and training: we started talking and she understood my perspective and gave me this opportunity!

Q3: What do you enjoy the most about Romania?

The picturesque scenery and the people, that make Romania what it is. Despite being an economically developing country in Europe, I believe Romania is rich in hospitality and authenticity. Once I moved, I have realized the true essence of the Romanians and this strong value of giving to others. They also have a strong cultural heritage, which I believe is their true strength. At the same time, I found these people so close to Italian culture in a way! Geography-wise, from the Danube river to the big city of Bucharest, from the peaks of the Carpathian to the villages in Transylvania, from the Black Sea coast to the Maramures region stuck in time (unfortunately I did not make it there yet), all of it makes you feel like you are in a different story, filled with sunsets and good vibes.

Q4: Do you have any advice for the people that want to take a leap to a different culture/ city?

When you start thinking about it, it means it is time to go…dive in, be part of something bigger!