Global Leadership Lessons with Federico Fregni, Communications, Marketing and External Relations Director

The learning opportunities of having an international career, how to adapt to your surroundings, and what unrealistic expectations people may have about moving for work. We recently spoke with Federico Fregni, a Communications, Marketing and External Relations Director about his global career.

Take a look.

Tell us about your motivations for wanting to have an international career.

My entire career has been international. When I finished university, I went to London and entered journalism. At the time, it was a very exciting city to be living and working in, and I ended up spending about 10 years there.

In 2006, I had the opportunity to move to Tokyo to work with Bloomberg. Japan is distinctly different – they have a very unique culture and position in the global market, and travelling across Asia as a correspondent was a really interesting time for my development.

That eventually took me to Austria, and then to New York. By this point I’d transitioned into communications, working for BCG. Americans have high standards in the strategic communications field, and I really honed my skills in that environment.

Now, I’m back in Europe and it makes sense for me professionally and personally. First back to London and now Paris. There are a lot of interesting developments and the profession as communicators is finally becoming strategic inside organisations. It’s an exciting time to be back, and I have a lot of optimism for the future.

How receptive were your peers and local talent working with you?

People are open if you’re open. The key is to be curious: about different cultures, customs, languages, and of course their way of working. Working internationally gives you intellectual challenges which I enjoy, and if you have a genuine interest in the people you work with, they will respond well.

What was it like to relocate your family from the UK to Paris?

We knew Paris. We had a life and a foundation there to an extent, but we did move during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic which presented its obvious challenges, particularly from a logistical point of view. Learning the language is also critical – France is very proud of its language and you want to make sure you work on that. But as a whole, the system was very supportive and straightforward.

Can you share some of your career highlights so far?

Managing a TV channel, crafting and leading Communications for BCG, managing reputation for several organisations, managing a brand, working with clients such as Ferrero, going to Davos a few times… too many to mention! In general, I love moving around, I love travelling and meeting new people – so I’m biased. Having new opportunities is always exciting and something that you should embrace with enthusiasm. Each of my moves was a wonderful experience. Getting to know the people and my colleagues, understanding cultures and customs, and the country’s history.

More broadly, it’s a great way of stretching yourself and expanding your skills, knowledge and network.

Do you think there are any misconceptions or unrealistic expectations people have when they want to move to France?

There are a lot of professionals who have built wonderful lives in France and stayed for many, many years. Paris is very international and a global centre for many industries.

The only unrealistic expectation I’ve noticed, but that is more in general, is that moving abroad for work is like taking a holiday – it is not! It has its challenges and complications which you learn to navigate.

Any advice for someone interested in moving abroad for work?

Be open, be excited, and do your homework ahead of time. Learn the language, try to make connections and visit before the big move. Read, listen to podcasts, and study the culture of the country you’re moving to. Planning is key to most things in life, including working abroad.

And overall, look at it as a great opportunity to learn something new.

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