Franklin Alumni Feature

Paolo Vismara '06

“Adaptability is essential for success in today’s world, and there is no better place than Franklin to learn it.” Although a mere 26 years old, London-based private equity investment professional Paolo Vismara ’06 clearly understands what it takes to make it in today’s world of international business.

In 2006 Paolo, a native of Milan, Italy, graduated from Franklin with a Bachelor of Arts in International Banking and Finance and International Economics. Shortly after graduation, he began his career as a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Milan. While at BCG Paolo worked long hours and traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia and the United States. “Working at BCG was a great experience, and being challenged on a daily basis by senior executives and helping them work out key strategic and organizational issues was a great start to my career.”

After five wonderful years at BCG, Paolo was offered the opportunity to join Bain Capital, a private equity fund, at its offices in London. As an investment professional at Bain Capital, Paolo is involved in screening possible investments through detailed due-diligence and supervising the management of companies that Bain Capital has acquired. “I began this new endeavor last year and although the first few months have been challenging, once again I feel that the Franklin experience has helped me successfully adapt and flourish in yet another new environment.” Five years from now Paolo still sees himself working in private equity. “I really enjoy what I do. It provides me daily with new challenges and allows me to travel extensively. Additionally, I’m afforded the opportunity to meet and work with C-level professionals who are a fountain of knowledge to learn from.”

Paolo reflects on how his on- and off-campus educational experiences have prepared him for his career:

The educational experience as a whole is what really shaped me into the professional I am today. If I were to call out a couple of key players who absolutely molded my line of thinking, I would say that Professor Terzi and his theory-based approach to economics helped me conceptualize and understand the basics of economic theory while Professor Colombo transmitted his passion for finance and really prepared me for all types of analytical rigor and finance theory.

Franklin is one of the few colleges that not only expose you to different environments and cultures but literally send you to them, and while there, teach you how to interact, problem-solve, socialize, and successfully communicate, removing any language or cultural barriers.

Paolo recognizes that he has been very fortunate in his lifetime and is committed to giving back and helping make the world a better place by being involved in a variety of nonprofit organizations such as Right To Play and Kiva.org.

In his limited free time, Paolo enjoys traveling and spending time with his close friends, many of whom are also Franklin graduates. “The beauty of the Franklin experience is that it begins the first day you set foot on campus but it never truly ends. Almost a decade later, I’m still meeting up with old Franklin friends in every country I visit and even have an ongoing tradition of spending New Year’s with them. That bond is because of Franklin and it is not  unique just to me, but to all of us who are alumni.”

January 2012