My Story Our Story: Vania Franceschelli, my journey in constant evolution in the world of finance
10 September 2019Vania Franceschelli, Private Financial Advisor of Allianz Bank and Vice President of FECIF (The European Federation of Financial Advisers and Financial Intermediaries), has a long career in the sector and her name is an international reference as she represents the category in Europe , within the European Federation of Financial Advisors on behalf of Anasf, the National Association of Italian CF.
Recently she completed her Master in Wealth Management with a thesis entitled “Believing in ESG: present and future of sustainable finance”, which allowed her to consolidate her career and make her motto even more: “We live by present and future. The past is always remembered with a smile “.
Tell us a little about yourself: what is your studies and which professional path do you come from?
I started working in the bank in 1990 (now it seems prehistory!) And in the meantime I enrolled in the Faculty of Law. I become a branch manager very early, at twenty-six, and I have to thank the banking world if I have acquired skills that still allow me to help people in my consultations. I learned to combine work and study, I gained resilience in work and in life and above all I learned to work by objectives. Once I graduated, I realized that the banking world no longer met my growth expectations: so I independently studied to pass the exam as a financial consultant and … I quit my job.
Switching from an employee to an entrepreneur was not easy, far from it. I had a salary as a branch manager, many monthly payments, paid holidays, benefits and so on, but I wasn’t satisfied. I still remember the first bill of expertise: 258 euros! A short cry and away, towards new adventures.
How did you come into contact with Bologna Business School and what led you to choose to enroll in a Master’s program?
I enrolled in the Master in Wealth Management for a challenge with myself and my professionalism. In working life I would call myself a forerunner and this was the first edition of this master. After fifteen years of financial consulting I had the need to understand if I was doing my job well and if I could improve it, and I have to say that I found many growth ideas. I believe that in life you never stopped learning and this experience gave me confirmation of my ideas.
I am Vice-President of the European Federation of Financial Advisors FECIF, I represent the ANASF – National Association of Financial Consultants, I am EFP -European Financial Planner in Emilia Romagna, together with fifty colleagues I am responsible for the “Economic @ mente-Put in account your future “that leads us to teach financial education to secondary school students. Now we are also starting with the” Plan the mind “project, a financial education project for adults.
Based on your experience, what are the strengths of the BBS program?
I strongly believe in my profession and the Master I attended was essential for my growth. First of all, I would like to understand what a master is. Unlike the university, where an exam can be given again if not passed, in the Master the one shot formula taught me to improve the organization of my day and to get used to making the right decision as soon as possible, enduring stress of the changes.
Understanding how to build a fund, a sicav and a product was very important for me as I work in the sector, as well as real estate, art, customer satisfaction, pension system, legislation, Wealth Tax Planning exams were indispensable to specialize in a real wealth advisor.
In addition, the Business Ethics exam changed my life: my thesis entitled “Believing in ESG*: present and future of sustainable finance” is an example.
*[The acronym ESG, as reported by Wall Street Italia, stands for and is used in the economic / financial field to indicate all those activities related to responsible investment (IR) that pursue the typical objectives of financial management taking into consideration aspects of nature environmental, social and governance issues, precisely].
How did your career develop after BBS?
The BBS has brought me luck and not only… thanks to this Master and the final thesis I participated in a round table at the Salone del Risparmio organized by Radio24 with the authorities of the sector on the subject of sustainability and financial education. I also had the honor of going to the United Nations in New York for the XVII CIFA Forum entitled “How to mobilize private finance towards funding the UN-SDGs?”
As for my main activity of financial consultancy, I asked many of my clients if they noticed improvements in our relationship and the response was very positive: improving itself brings benefits first to ourselves, but secondly to everything the world around us.
What are your short and long term goals?
I have drawn up an action plan for the next five years, giving me ambitious but achievable goals. I am creating a team that will work alongside me and support me in this, a team of young people who believe like me that financial advisory activity is fundamental to change this country. Italy is in 68th place in the world for financial education: this means that we are big savers, but we do not know how to allocate our savings and many of us do not have a life plan and goals in the medium and long term.
What would you recommend to a future BBS student?
One tip: sign up, attend it, pass the exams with the highest grades and try to put into practice what you’ve learned in the Master’s course. Being ambitious in life is not a habit, it is a necessity. I personally believe that achieving a Master’s degree is necessary in terms of growth, also and above all for the international weight of the title.
Last but not least, studying in the beautiful Villa Guastavillani is a real privilege.
