Marta is a creative bachelor’s in business administration alumna from Portugal who graduated in 2019 after completing multiple internships in the tech and fashion sectors. She leveraged her tech-driven experience at IE University, with her professional background at Chanel, Estée Lauder, and Mytheresa to work at Salesforce in Dublin, where she currently specializes in the fashion and luxury goods market.
How did you land your current position at Salesforce?
This position happened very naturally because of my previous work experience. I need to thank IE University for that previous work experience. The support of the university staff was incredible. Everyone is happy to help resolve any doubt or question you have. I would advise students and alumni to engage with IEU – there are so many opportunities you do not even know that the university is offering.
Tell us about the IEU alumni in Dublin and the impact they have had in your life and/or career.
The IE Alumni in Dublin have made my integration in Ireland so fast and easy. The community here is quite large, and everyone is working in different tech companies, which makes it super interesting to be connected. I must say that half of my friends here in Dublin are from IE, either from the bachelor or from the master’s programs. It’s crazy how naturally IE alumni gravitate towards each other and have this inherent sense of belonging. This makes you create deep connections extremely quickly.
What skills do you need to succeed in business development and strategy?
You should not be afraid of working a lot and receiving a lot of NOs. It is a prospect/client-based job, so because a lot of things are out of your control, NOs cannot demotivate you – they should increase your motivation. You should also be a very adaptable person; organisation helps a lot in this job, but top performers are the ones that are not troubled by last minute changes.
What is the competitive advantage that studying at IE University provides or has provided you?
The competitive advantage that IE University provides its students is the network. IEU is a university that has an amazing recruitment and selection process. The people that come to IEU are full of ideas, they are big challengers of the status quo and always ready to take risks. That attitude brings together an extremely diverse network that will take you out of your comfort zone a lot.
If someone was considering going to IE University, what would you tell them?
If you are considering going to IE University, I could only tell you that it is going to be a unique experience, incomparable to any other university experience that you could have. You are going to open your mind so much, and that is a real asset for your future.