Interview with the manager of the KEDGE Alumni branch in Nice. Who is he?

KEDGE Alumni has many branches around the world, which gives local Alumni the chance to meet each other, expand their network, share their respective experiences, and have a good time together

Today, meet the dynamic host of our Alumni branch in Nice.

NICE BRANCH

💬 RICHARD GENTILELLA (Dip. Design 2014) - NICE

Tell us what a little about your professional background. What positions have you held up to now? What about your educational and professional background led you to your current position?

I studied global design on the KEDGE campus in Toulon, during which I had the chance to do several exchanges, so I got to know Manchester, Taiwan, Milan, and Buenos Aires. I decided to stay in Argentina after I got my diploma and worked as a design project manager for Fernando Poggio, an international design and communication agency, for four years.

After I learned all I could in that interesting job, I returned to my roots to start an entrepreneurial project, an international employment support platform for executives. I learned a lot working on that project, which lasted two years. With the new skills I acquired, I decided to go back to the corporate world as an e-commerce manager for a furniture and furnishing company, Prosiege and Cash Bureau.fr.

Today I’m an SEO and Content Manager for Ubaldi.com and an SEO and Design consultant.

You now live in Nice. What do you like about the city? 

I’m originally from (and currently live) in Nice. I came back to the region because my roots are here and life is good all year round because of the beach and the mountains, not to mention the pleasures of the local gastronomy!

Nice has a rich cultural heritage where French and Italian savoir-vivre are mixed, which creates an authentic Mediterranean way of life. The city is known for its splendid coastline, but it’s more than that! It’s not only a major economic area, it has the Sophia-Antipolis technology park - the largest technological area in Europe – which is located only 30 minutes from the city centre.

In short, Nice has all the conditions of a city where you can flourish. If that doesn't convince you, it's also the closest city to the Italian border, only 30 minutes away by car. What’s more, it has the third-largest airport in France, which serves a large number of destinations if you feel the urge to travel!

You now manage the KEDGE Alumni Branch of Nice. What motivated you to volunteer?

Bruno CHIARA was in charge of the branch but he was planning to move. We exchanged ideas and I told him I was interested in taking up the torch. The reason I wanted to become in charge was, I think, the desire to be a part of something that promotes sharing. Managing the branch offered a real chance to bring together people who had a point in common, that being KEDGE.

What are your goals for this branch? What are your plans?

The impact of recent events on the network has rendered it almost inactive, but we hope to resume the activities when conditions allow.

At our last get-together, we agreed to schedule upcoming events in authentic and little-known places, a way of getting to know some of the lesser-known corners of this city. A plan that I think should always be on the agenda, and which will be a well-deserved reward after this health crisis is over.

How did becoming a branch manager go? Was it easy to work with the KEDGE Alumni? 

As mentioned above, KEDGE Alumni provides a complete framework for the successful induction to managing the branch. Under the guidance of Brigitte Van Roy, it couldn’t have gone better. She was responsive and available which, in my opinion, puts you in the best position to take initiatives and effectively organise events.

Lastly, what message would you like to pass on to graduates and students are passing through, or who live in Nice? 

I’m impatient to meet you all and spend time together to get to know each other better. I’d like to take this opportunity to call on everyone in the region to join us on social networks and to join our WhatsApp group as soon as possible so that you can be kept informed of upcoming events. Until we see each other, please take care of yourself and your loved ones.

  RICHARD GENTILELLA - LINKEDIN

Antenna Nice Portrait animator