Alessandro Carozzi
Alessandro has invested himself in his family business, Menorca Inversiones in Lima Peru, to bring out the full potential of the company while doing good for the community and helping the less fortunate. Social impact aligns with quality of life and family business for this successful International MBA alum.
"Our main goal is to make a social difference and take care of the environment through sustainable practices while supporting our own families, since it is a private business."
WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
My name is Alessandro, I live in Lima, Peru and I am 33 years old. I am the Executive Director of Menorca Inversiones, which is a family business. For the last two years, I have been working in the Corporate Government sector of the company. Right now, we are changing the way we work. Before, we were just a family business and now we are changing our method of working to a corporate family business.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO STUDY AN MBA AT IE?
My grandmother was from Spain and my grandfather was from Italy. So I wanted to live in Europe for the culture. Since IE is focused on not only people who would like to have a career in a big international company, but also on people like me that are part of a family business: I was able to meet others who shared the same values that I do.
WORKING IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS: HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
When I finished the masters, I had all the background to work with the corporate government, and then I met a friend that was an advisor in family businesses. With my background and this person I met, I came back to Lima and spoke with my father. I said, “I want to work in the family business, but we have to make a change if we want it to last for more years to come.” I saw that if we were running the business like we had been, we were going to have problems in the future.
TELL US MORE ABOUT MENORCA INVERSIONES?
Our mission is to make a change in the quality of life of Peruvian families. We are developers who make condominiums and social houses for the people who have problems with their income. Here in South America, we have a serious problem for poor people. Their quality of life is very hard because they don’t have water or electricity in their houses. We help give them credit approvals at their banks so they can live in these houses with the basic amenities that they are missing. The thing that makes me happy in life is to work in this kind of company and help others– rather than simply being a number in a big company.
Our main goal is to make a social difference and take care of the environment through sustainable practices while supporting our own families, since it is a private business.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?
I am a mountain biker, and when I was young, I once won the national championship in Peru.
One major thing that I learned in the last two years is the mix of work and sports, because you have to have a hobby and make time to do the things you enjoy: for me, it’s family, mountain biking, and horseback riding. If you want success in the long term, have a good quality life, and be healthy, you need to have a balance.
WHAT IS THE MOST VALUABLE THING THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED AS A DIRECTOR THAT YOU APPLY TO YOUR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIFE EVERYDAY?
You have to know how to listen to different points of view, and from there, you make a decision.
DO YOU STILL KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR CLASSMATES FROM IE, AND IF SO, HAVE YOU WORKED WITH THEM ON ANY PROJECTS?
Yes, I frequently talk with them. At IE, I made very close relationships– who will now be friends forever. Coincidentally, there were many people in my class who also worked in the construction industry in South and Central America. Whenever I have a problem, I make a call and ask them for advice.
We are investing to create a larger company in the next 5 years, hoping to have operations in Colombia, Mexico, Chile, etc. From my IE network, I already have the contacts to call and discuss the markets with and the possibility to find a partner as well.
