Xiaofeng resides in Milan and is an E-business Specialist with Angelini Beauty. She graduated from the MMIAM program in 2019. Brittany met with her virtually last November.
Are you an artist? How did you first become interested in the arts?
Oh, how I wish the answer were yes. I am not an artist and currently, I don’t work in the arts world. Art has always been one of my passions, though, and I was very lucky to be able to complete the MMIAM program as a part of my double degree in Media Management, through Università Bocconi. The program fulfilled a personal curiosity. I’d always wanted to know what was going on behind the curtain, so to speak.
But I didn’t expect the MMIAM to be so fun! I’d already studied abroad—I am from China and was studying in Italy at Bocconi, so this wasn’t quite as strong of a draw for me as it may be for other people. You know it’s hard to make friends and live somewhere with a time limit, but with MMIAM, I met really fantastic people and the friendships have endured. It’s been one of the most important decisions I’ve done so far in life.
In Prada Foundation in Milan. Credit: Ines Carvalho.
After graduating, I considered finding a job in the arts and discovered it quite competitive. I didn’t speak Italian very well at this point, which turned out to be more of a problem than I would have expected as landing a job really involves a great amount of networking. Despite there being so much international business, Italy is very different from some of the Nordic countries where people speak and operate in English more frequently. I had to learn very quickly.
So, if you don’t work in the arts, tell me what you’re doing now.
I work in the consumer goods sector. We make day-to-day products: cosmetics, over the counter medicines, diapers…goods you’d use on a daily basis. My role is in e-business, which handles all the commercial decisions and activities that go through online channels, including various marketplaces like Amazon and brand-owned direct e-commerce sites worldwide.
Do you think there is a crossover between what you studied and what you’re currently doing?
MMIAM gave me a fantastic international experience. Prior to joining the program, my perspective was heavily based on my experiences of having grown up in Asia and then of course Italy, where I was in school. I didn’t have any understanding of the Americas, for example.
I also learned several soft skills. The MMIAM is a special program; it requires a lot of travel, adapting to new cultures and environments, having to find a balance between study, work, and life, and you get to meet and have to depend on a lot of people from different walks of life. I’d say this is the knowledge and skills that are extremely important for my daily work now that I serve as a liaison between the head office and our key markets like Iberia, Eastern Europe, Americas, and Far East Asia.
So, you grew up in China, left and had all these experiences, and then returned with the MMIAM program. Can you talk about what that experience was like?
Well, the first trip we took to Asia was to India. I grew up in the Far East which is very different from India, in terms of history, demographics, and culture. That first trip was overwhelming at first. There was so much to explore—it was a fantastic learning experience and opportunity for personal growth—and my cohort was very lucky to have an Indian classmate, from Delhi, who helped us navigate everything we were seeing and doing.
Going to Beijing was personally very meaningful. I was raised in that environment, so as a child, as a teenager, I took everything for granted and never questioned how things could be or are done differently in different places. When I was back, after living in Europe, the United States, and Canada, I was able to see more and be able to ask questions about assumptions that I had previously taken for granted. Before, I would have said ‘This is how it’s done, this is how things should be.’
One of the Christmans photos of Xiaofeng’s cohort did together in 2018. Credit: MMIAM 6.
Let’s shift gears. Can you share one thing you’ve done this year, personally or professionally, that you’re proud of?
This year has been a progressive year for me professionally. Our office decided to launch a new e-commerce project in Italy, Germany, and Portugal for one of our skincare brands. I was appointed project leader and was therefore, given more responsibility.
Last year, we started analyzing and evaluating all the potential suppliers in the EU, but it wasn’t until early this year that we were able to finally execute. This path was long and winding, naturally. There are many internal stakeholders that we are obliged to involve to ensure alignment, and also external teams that we need to coordinate resources and deliverables. Last but not least, I monitor the results on a daily basis, measuring performance for future decision-making.
Now, we are approaching one of the most important sales moments of the year with Black Friday and the holiday season. I cannot wait to see how everything goes!
Also this year, I’m super proud of finally having my mom come to visit me in Europe. I usually go home once per year but this was the first time she came to me. We spent long weekends in France, Portugal and Switzerland. I think she enjoyed her time here very much. However, the distance between us is so great, seeing me having a content adult life in a foreign country that is strange to her and our whole family was challenging for her. But I believe time will work its magic!