Job opportunities

What kind of careers does IMEF prepare you for?

The programme will be of particular interest and relevance to those working in, or planning to work in:

  • capital markets, trading and risk management
  • investment management, security analysis, and broking
  • the finance function, controller’s department or treasury operations of industrial, commercial, and service organisations
  • investment banking
  • retail and commercial banking
  • corporate finance, venture capital, and corporate restructuring
  • corporate planning and consultancy, where a detailed knowledge of finance is required
  • other professional organisations, such as accountancy firms, regulatory bodies, legal firms, property consultants, commodity businesses and investor relations specialists requiring an in-depth understanding of finance
  • finance within the public sector and non-profit organisations, including central banks, local/national governments and international organisations

Here’s some of the banks, financial institutions and research departments where graduated IMEF students are now employed:

1) International

Banca Centrale Europea (Frankfurt), Banca Paesi Baschi (Città del Messico), Barclays Global Investors (London), BnpParibas (London), CDC Asset Management Europe (Paris), Cohen Bros. & Co. (New York), CQS Management Ltd. (London), Intesa Sanpaolo (London), Lloyd’s of London, Ludwig Maximilians University (Munich), Olsen Ltd (Zürich), RaBo Bank (Utrecht), Roubini Global Economics (New York), Trinity College (Dublin).

2) Italy

AIM Allianz (Milano), Banca Generali (Trieste), Banca IMI (Milano), Banca Popolare di Milano (Milano), Banca Popolare Friuladria (Pordenone), Bipiemme Gestioni SGR (Milano), Boston Consulting (Milano), CapitalgestSgr (Brescia), Caretti & Associati (Milano), Centro Studi Confindustria (Roma), CRIF Decision Solution (Bologna), Fideuram Capital (Milano), Ford Italia (Roma), Generali Investments Sgr (Trieste), Gestnord Fondi Sgr (Milano), INA Sim (Roma), Intesa Sanpaolo (Milano), Intesa Sim (Torino), Invesco Asset Management (Milano), Mediocredito Centrale (UniCredit Milano), Monte dei Paschi di Siena (Milano), Morgan Stanley (Milano), Movimondo (Roma), Nexen (Padova & Milano), Nissan Italia (Roma), Politecnico (Milano), Previnet (Mogliano V.to), PriceWaterhouseCoopers (Milano), Prometeia (Bologna), RCS MediaGroup (Milano), Replay Consulting (Milano), SAS Institute (Milano), Seven Sim (Pordenone), Unicredit (Milano).

3) Regione Veneto

ADACTA Studio Associato (Vicenza), Assicurazioni Generali (Mogliano Veneto, TV) Banca Antonveneta (Padova), Banca Popolare (Treviso), Intesa San Paolo Venezia (Venezia), Centro Private Banking – BNL (Mestre e Padova), Federazione Veneta delle BCC (Padova), GRETA Associati (Venezia), Previnet (Mogliano Veneto, TV), Safilo (Padova).

Past students

Some pictures taken at the Master Award Ceremony, December 13th 2019.

Marko Iskra

Marko Iskra, Quantitative Analyst and Developer, Rabobank International - Utrecht, The Netherlands - IMEF 2010/2011
"I chose to enroll to the IMEF Program in order to learn as much as possible about finance. It was a big stepafter five years of studying pure economics, however the transition to finance was a smooth process thanks to the IMEF's well structured blend of both economics and finance, and thanks to a great academic body. The program has allowed me to master finance in all of its aspects, from the basics, up to the more advanced topics. The main focus was on the quantitative subjects, for which I am very grateful as that was also the side of finance I was most interested in. Furthermore, it was mainly thanks to the master program that I was able to find employment right away: I am currently working as a product controller at the largest Dutch investment bank, with a one year contract. Simply stated, the master experience was outstanding, and I am very grateful for all that it has given me!"

Carlo Sommavilla

Carlo Sommavilla, Quantitative Investment Strategist, Morgan Stanley Associate and Research Assistant at USI Institute of Finance, Lugano, Switzerland - IMEF 2009/2010
"I decided to attend the IMEF in order to enhance my knowledge in finance, especially on the quantitative side of it, and in order to boost my career opportunities. The excellent Faculty and intense program helped me to learn a lot and to improve the understanding of what I already knew before. Moreover, having professors from different universities and also from the industry helped me to get a taste of what the broad world of finance really is. The IMEF experience has been challenging but also rewarding, and I would suggest it - mainly to whom has already an idea of what finance is and has at least some quantitative background. After the IMEF, and thanks to it, I managed to find an internship in London into the Corporate and Investment branch of an important bank and this experience is continuing even now that the internship is over. I must say that the topics touched during the Master, apart from what I have learnt before, really helped me in passing successfully the interviews and in doing a good job afterwards. Therefore the IMEF has been very useful to me for many reasons, and generally speaking a very good experience."

Matteo Merlo

Matteo Merlo, European Financials Analyst, UBS Asset Management, London, UK - IMEF 2008/2009
"After 5 years studying finance I decided to join IMEF for several reasons. After such a huge crisis in order to better approach the job market it was important for me to complete my profile with a program which combines theoretical aspects with more practical issues and gives you a more international view thanks to students and professors from all over the world. The IMEF provides you such kind of opportunity by combining top international level teachers with practitioners coming from several European banks and financial institutions. Moreover the homework provides you the opportunity to apply in "real time" your new knowledge. Finally, thanks to ad hoc seminars organized by the IMEF you will be in touch with a lot of Financial Institutions and find a lot of carrier opportunities. Thanks to one of these meetings, I've joined the Asset Management of one of the top three European Insurance companies."

Stefano Perin

Stefano Perin, Principal - DG Micro-Prudential Supervision II at European Central Bank - IMEF 2008 / 2009
"My 5 year University course provided me with a strong quantitative financial background. However, being an ambitious person, I was looking for a Master program that could imoprove my degreee of knowledge and enrich my curriculum. Choosing the IMEF I found exactly what I was searching for. The specific courses, that combine frontal lessons with practical tutorials, and its international profile, that allows you to study with students coming from all around the world and with very highly qualified Professors, make the IMEF a fundamental opportunity for your career. Moreover, it provides you with a wide range of contacts with European and Italian financial institutions that help your recruiting. Although the hard times due to the financial crisis, immediately after the conclusion of my Master program, I started to work for the Risk Management team of one of the top-10 Italian banks. What's more, this master keeps an eye over its students for many years after they leave."

Enrico Scarin

Enrico Scarin, Portfolio Manager and Financial Analyst, GENERALI Investments Italy SGR- Trieste, Italy  - IMEF 2006 / 2007
"When I applied for the Master IMEF I was working for the Department of Economics at Ca' Foscari University of Venice as research and teaching assistant. I was looking for a Master program that could provide me with both a deep knowledge of financial markets and all the quantitative and analytical tools necessary to face a PhD program in Economics. This is exactly what I found, and I strongly believe these two characteristics make the Master IMEF a unique program. At the end I decided to enjoy a prestigious asset management firm I had the possibility to meet at a conference organized by our faculty. An international environment, a challenging curriculum, a top-quality faculty... Absolutely, an unforgettable experience."

Federico Silvestri

Federico Silvestri, Financial Analyst, P&C Investment Management, Allianz SpA, Milan, Italy - IMEF 2006 / 2007 
"I was very uncertain whether attending the International Master in Economics and Finance or not. I was working in that period and the decision to leave that job to return studying was not easy. But it was right. The IMEF provides you both with a very good financial knowledge and with opportunities in the job market, because it is very important to have someone, outside the University, who knows the quality of this master and who gives you professional chances. The first part of the IMEF provides you with the quantitative basis (Econometrics, Mathematics,…), necessary to understand and appreciate the “core” of the master: financial markets, asset allocation, risk management, corporate finance. These 9 months are more similar to High School than to University for some aspects: you have the same mates, in the same room and with homework to do; you have to study day by day, so you will learn very much without staying on books during the night in the days before exams (it never happens to me). The international class and the international teachers give you the opportunity to open your mind to new opinions and to new professional background (and to improve your English!). And Venice is a wonderful and magic place. Thanks to the IMEF, now I’m working in the greatest European insurance company, after an internship of some months; the IMEF was the best way to conclude my studies."

Alessandro Dal Corso

Alessandro Dal Corso, Senior Market and Counterparty Risk Manager, Intesa Sanpaolo, Montebelluna, Italy - IMEF 2005 / 2006
"The International Master in Economic and Finance has given me the opportunity to change my professional life. I’ve found my first job some days before the end of the master, it was a four months internship in the Treasury department of a medium size Italian bank. Now I’m working in the Market Risk unit of the Risk Management Department of an important and dynamic Italian bank, where I can practice what I’ve learnt during the master program and make these knowledge and competences wider. The master program, thanks to its specific courses, gives to a student tools and techniques to understand and to face the financial world. Attending the Imef make you improve knowledge thanks to specific courses that combine, with an outstanding balance, theoretical lessons, practical tutorial, and support of the teachers. Of course this is not enough since you have to study hard and to become familiar with the subjects of the courses, but in the master you have the opportunity to exchange and compare your opinions and ideas with other students and get greater benefit from studying together. Another wonderful aspect of the Imef is that the international class and the international Professor give you the opportunity to get in contact and understand very different life styles and experiences from all over the world. Nevertheless the Master is located in one of the most beautiful place in the world where you can enjoy yourself after an hard exam!"

Simone Zollia

Simone Zollia, Risk Manager, UnipolRe, Dublin, Ireland - IMEF 2005 / 2006
"I am a really ambitious and dynamic person and I think that is not enough the degree knowledge to have a important job opportunity. After the International Master in Economic and Finance I get this important opportunity for my career. In that 10 month I learn many operative techniques for Financial Area and I improve my team worker approach. The course nicely balances theory with practice, be it the fundamentals of Corporate Finance, Capital Markets or Financial Accounting, or the more involved specialised topics on derivatives pricing and financial analysis of mergers and acquisitions. Another important opportunity is to work and to study in a international group, that is very important, because during these 10 month you solve practical case study and you can catch different point of view, given by different culture. During the Master we work hard for 10 month, but sometimes you can enjoy yourself in the Venice movida. That’s great!"

Ludovic Cales

Ludovic Cales, Scientific Officer at the European Commission, Italy - IMEF 2004/2005
"I am an Engineer in Applied Mathematics by education and was a Software Engineer by profession. Having worked in the finance area, on the IT side, I got very interested in this field. And, instead of drifting slowly to more functional positions, I decided to operate a more radical shift towards finance. I was looking for a program which was quantitative enough (my favorite area) and taking place in an international environment. It is exactly what I found, with, in addition, plenty of other things (among all of them an excellent teaching staff and an exceptional city). It was a tremendous personal and instructive experience. The syllabus was intensive. The scope covered was large. I discovered sides of finance I would never have known otherwise, such as Corporate Finance, Ventures Capital, etc… The Master's program provided me a wide and in-depth view on Finance. I liked it that much that I am now Research Fellow at Ca’Foscari University!"

William De Pieri

William De Pieri, Credit and Operational Risk Manager, PROMETEIA SPA - Bologna, Italy - IMEF 2004/2005
"I believe that the Master's in Economics and Finance is an extremely efficient way to go over again some subjects studied at university in a brief time and moreover to study in depth very interesting topics that I’ve ever treated previously. This nine-month programme offers an important possibility to study, work and interact in a multicultural environment, given that you have to prepare homeworks and the time fixed requires an indispensable comparison with other approaches to the same problem; but it is also a very good way to made friends from all around the world of course. At the end of the programme I had several pourposes, in particular from banks (commercial for the sale of derivatives products, commercial-mass market, risk management and one for R&D) but also for consultant positions. My first choice was for a commercial position with a secure contract, then I decided to work as a junior consultant in the credit risk division of the italian leader society believing in the increasing career opportunities of this business. I found that some of my professors were very well known in credit risk environment as you can easily see with a simple web-research."

Andrea Piersanti

Andrea Piersanti, Branch Manager - Senior Risk Officer, Leonteq Securities AG, Amsterdam, Netherland  - IMEF 2004 / 2005
"I believe that the International Master's in Economics and Finance is a great opportunity to enhance your skills and to get a wider view of what is the Financial world. It goes deep through financial techniques and tools dealing at the same time with the most used and complex financial instruments. The huge program is taught by a prime-level international teaching staff and the lectures are tailored to give You the theoretical instruments to apply to the real world. An important experience to boost your financial career getting a background which is not common. Last but not least, I enjoined the unique feelings that this multicultural environment can give; I am richer both under the professional side and the human one. Hint: if You decide to join this MA course prepare yourself to a hard hard work…on my word! Enjoy it!"

Stefania Marcassa

Stefania Marcassa, Assistant Professor, Université de Cergy-Pontoise, Paris, France - IMEF 2001 / 2002
"The IMEF equipped me with a wide range of tools and techniques. The coursework refreshed my existing knowledge in Economics and broadened it into new areas of Finance. Studying at the IMEF gave me the great opportunity to start my academic career at the University of Minnesota as a graduate student in Economics. In addition to a rigorous education in Economics and Finance, I greatly valued the diverse group of people I got to meet and work closely with; this inclues faculty members from prestigious US and European schools, and international students. Of course, I loved the beautiful surroundings!"

Christian Menegatti

Christian Menegatti, Portfolio Manager and Chief Investment Strategist, Windhaven Investment Management, New York, USA - IMEF 2001 / 2002
"The Master's in Economics and Finance was an enriching experience in which I gained invaluable knowledge about the economies and the financial markets. I had the opportunity to explore both the theoretical and the practical aspects of the field. The program provided me with the analytical tools to successfully complete my PhD studies in economics. At the same time it gave a solid understanding of the financial markets, a significant asset for a macroeconomic analyst. The intensiveness of the program also taught me how to work under pressure, which is an important component of my professional life."

Last update: 14/02/2024