Antonia Toscano

Having graduated during the 2008 financial crash, Antonia is no stranger to turning negative circumstances into positive experiences. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, her ability to navigate uncertainty led her to London Business School (LBS). She decided it was the perfect time to broaden her knowledge and entrepreneurial skills and joined the Executive MBA (EMBA) programme, graduating in 2022 with distinction.

Antonia has since moved into a Chief Operating Officer role in the technology industry. At Definitio, she manages HR, Finance, Strategy, Sales and Operations, helping to define the overall business and marketing strategy. Through strategic leadership, she spearheaded the company’s rebranding and played a pivotal role in its turnaround, none of which she could have done without her LBS education. Here she shares the story of how and why she decided LBS was the best place to study.

Curiosity and a passion for discovery are values I have lived by, learning at an early age to appreciate new approaches and ways of thinking. I was raised in Naples, a magnificent city full of history and art but still home to talented people struggling with unemployment. I grew up understanding the importance of education and its power to increase one’s access to new opportunities, as well as growth and development. My parents highly valued education and always encouraged me to learn, explore and experiment.

Resilience has been a key thread in my professional life. I studied Business Administration at Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II and graduated with distinction. Unfortunately, my graduation coincided with the 2008 worldwide financial crash so despite my grades, experience, and track record of success, I was unable to secure a position. Keen to make the most of my available options, I decided to move abroad for the first time. In these instances, I always think back to the famous Einstein quote: “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity”. Events that others might consider to be challenges have been paramount to my success.

Moving out of my comfort zone presented me with better opportunities. I moved to London to perfect my English and managed to secure a highly competitive role with Randstad, being selected from over 5000 candidates. At Randstad, I learned the fundamentals of finance. It was a great learning experience as finance had always seemed like a natural progression for me. However, due to changes in the industry regulations, I decided to move to I.T. and joined Avanade, a joint venture between Microsoft and Accenture, in 2012. Ever evolving and seeking opportunities to acquire new skills, I qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2015 and completed rotations in several finance departments, gaining strong technical and managerial skills, and a business advisory role. Working in a Global Pricing and Transaction Team gave me the cross-functional skills needed to deliver insights that helped leadership achieve business results. However, I still felt the need to upskill in terms of leadership, management and strategy – skills that are essential to succeed in a changing world – so I began looking for a place to gain these entrepreneurial skills.

There were several factors that made me choose London Business School. My husband and I always wanted to relocate internationally. London and Dubai have always been attractive to us, so it was important to create networks in both cities. The strength of LBS’s global network is unmatched. London Business School represents diversity, innovation and transformation which are important values to me. The content of the Executive MBA programme was tailored towards the kind of growth I wanted to achieve and aligned with my personal goals and career path. The length of the programme also felt right for me, as 20 months would allow me to immerse myself in the learning experience and apply the knowledge practically in my place of work. The opportunity to take electives in London, New York and Hong Kong while studying in Dubai was the fourth reason. It is truly a global programme.

By the time I came to decide which electives to take in my second year, I knew what my next career step would be. Despite travel restrictions I was able to take the Digital Marketing elective in London, which was crucial for moving into my next role. I learned about the industry, how to recognise potential pitfalls, and critically, how to navigate through uncertainty. I also took Managing Corporate Turnarounds as I knew this was going to be a significant part of my career moving forward. On the course, I learned about effective go-to-market strategies, product market approaches and how to determine whether incumbent employees are suited to their roles. I still refer to my notes regularly to aid my decision-making. Paths to Power was incredibly eye-opening. My key takeaway was the analogy that everybody has their own currency – something that motivates them. I use this theory every day in my job now, treating each employee as an individual and offering the currency that will help them progress on their specific career path and become more productive. Outside classes, I enjoyed networking and the London nightlife.

I went to Greece for my Global Experience and helped phenomenal scientists become better business people. Though geniuses in their fields, they struggled to pitch to different types of investors, manage their finances effectively and strategise in the business side of their projects. I was able to help them become better communicators - showing them how to pitch to different kinds of investors. Their impact on the world is truly astonishing so it was an honour to aid their life-saving efforts in a tangible way. The experience also included meetings with politicians, the Director of CERN - the European Organization for Nuclear Research - and even a private museum tour.

The EMBA programme is designed to give you the autonomy to dive as much or as little as you want into a wide range of business areas. In tech, we talk about Minimum Time to Resolution (MTTR), and my theory in terms of learning is that everyone has a Minimum Time to Knowledge (MTTK). In essence, how quickly you can learn something to become proficient in it. The programme not only provides you with the academic context of the subjects you’re learning, but it also teaches you methodologies that allow you to learn more efficiently, decreasing your MTTK. The boost in confidence this creates, knowing that you can gain solid knowledge of new subjects quickly, is so empowering.

The LBS alumni community is genuinely as amazing as people say. There are events every month which allow you to build friendships and meet new potential business partners. There are alumni at most companies, which immediately broadens your network. Getting career support or answers to business questions is as simple as sending a message in one of the WhatsApp groups. It is an invaluable and global community.

Outside of my studies, working with the Career Centre was one of the most important parts of my time at the School. My advisor, Ki, supported me throughout the entire programme. When I wanted to start my new career, he helped me find the relevant contacts and held monthly one-to-one coaching sessions with me. For people like myself who relocate to a new country, having the support of someone with knowledge of the business practices in different regions is essential.

I thought it was just another buzzword but at LBS, I went through a true ‘transformation’. Before joining, I didn’t expect to be moving up into a Chief Operating Officer role. However, the programme, and the School, provided me with everything I needed to upskill and build a new career, along with the confidence to do so.