Matteo Giovanni Albergati, Esade MBA Class of 2028
Age: 31
Hometown: Palmi (RC)
Undergraduate Institution and Major: LUISS G. Carli (Bachelor) & Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Major)
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Senior Consultant – Digital Transformation & Project Management (Public Sector), Intellera Consulting (an Accenture company since 2024) – Sep 2022 to Aug 2026 (4 years); SAP Business Analyst – Technology Consulting (Retail), Deloitte – Nov 2021 to Aug 2022 (1 year); Export & Business Development Lead (part-time, alongside consulting) – Food / Artisan Pastry, Family Business – 2017 to present (8+ years)
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I decided to attend business school because I reached a point where my experience had grown in two directions, and I realized which one I wanted to build my future on. Five years in consulting at Deloitte and Accenture gave me structure, discipline and the ability to lead teams through complex transformation projects. But it was my family’s artisan pastry business that showed me what truly energizes me. Over eight years, I led the rebranding, launched new products and packaging, and opened export markets in Spain, France, Germany and Belgium. In Spain, volumes grew from around 100 to over 4,000 panettoni a year, and a 500g format we created for Spanish consumers later became a success back in Italy. Seeing a product travel, adapt to new tastes and find its place in people’s lives made me realize I no longer wanted to advise companies from the outside: I wanted to build brands and markets from the inside. That is why I chose to pivot toward the consumer goods industry, focusing on new market and product development.
Why now? For years, I chose to stay close to home to support my family, and I gave up the chance to live abroad. Today the business is on solid ground, and I feel ready to step out of my comfort zone. What excites me most about Esade is the people. I want to meet classmates from all over the world, learn from their stories and discover their cultures, which I see as one of the most powerful sources of knowledge and personal growth. Selling a panettone in Spain taught me that understanding people comes before understanding markets. I want to build a network that is not only made of professionals, but of people I trust, respect and will stay connected with long after the MBA.
Why did you choose Esade? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
When I started looking at business schools, I was not only choosing a program. I was choosing the community I wanted to grow with. Three factors shaped my decision.
The first was culture. From my first conversation with the admissions team to my campus visit, I felt a strong sense of belonging. The people I met were ambitious but genuinely collaborative, and Esade’s motto, “Do Good. Do Better”, reflected the values I grew up with in my family and try to bring to my work every day: responsibility, empathy and respect for people.
The second was flexibility. Compared to other programs, Esade’s MBA felt truly customizable. The CAP programs, the possibility to combine an internship with an international exchange, and the wide range of electives give me the freedom to shape my own path. This mattered to me because I came in with a background in consulting and family business, and I wanted a program that would let me explore and build a career in consumer goods with the right tools and real-world exposure.
The third was Barcelona and Spain. Spain was the first foreign market I opened for my family’s business, and some of our key distribution partners operate right here in Barcelona. Being in this city means continuing a story that already started, in a vibrant, international environment where people from all over the world come together. It is the ideal place to learn, build relationships and grow, both professionally and personally.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2028?
I believe my most valuable contribution is my ability to connect with people and build strong, genuine relationships.
I grew up in a small town in Calabria, where community means showing up for each other. Losing my father at a young age taught me early how much the people around us matter, and I have carried that with me ever since. I have always been the person friends turn to for advice or support, and I am naturally curious about people, their stories and where they come from. I find it easy to create a space where others feel comfortable being themselves.
My background in consulting and in my family’s business showed me that the same is true at work: results always come from trust.
In a class as diverse as ours, I want to be a connector: someone who brings people together, helps classmates feel at home, especially in the most challenging moments, and turns a group of professionals into a community of friends. That is what I hope to bring to the Class of 2028.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I can make a panettone completely by hand, from the sourdough starter to the final glaze. I grew up helping in my family’s pastry lab, and I learned that a real panettone takes days of patience and no shortcuts.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I would absolutely visit the campus again before deciding.
On paper, every business school looks great: rankings, brochures, beautiful photos. But you cannot feel a place through a screen. When I walked around Esade, spoke with students and staff and saw how people interacted with each other, something clicked. It was not a rational choice anymore; it just felt like the right place.
I have always believed that the most important decisions should be made with both head and heart. The head had already done its homework. That day, the heart signed off.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would give myself permission not to have everything figured out.
In my application, I described a very precise career plan. Only a few weeks into the MBA, I already realized that what really excites me is building brands and opening new markets in consumer goods, something much closer to what I had been doing in my family’s business all along. The answer was right in front of me; I just had not stopped to look at it.
If I could do it again, I would write my goals with a little less certainty and a little more curiosity. After all, isn’t that why we come here?
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
The GMAT, without a doubt. Months of practice tests, flashcards and data sufficiency questions that seemed designed to test patience more than intelligence. Expensive, tedious and, honestly, not the most exciting way to spend my weekends.
Looking back, I am glad it is over, and even more glad I will never have to do it again.
What is your initial impression of the Esade students/culture/community?
My first impression is that Esade truly lives up to its international reputation. From the quality of the courses to the attention to detail in every aspect of the program, you can feel that everything is designed to help students grow, both professionally and personally.
But what struck me most are my classmates. They are incredible people, coming from all over the world, with backgrounds, stories and cultures that are completely different from mine. Every conversation, whether in class or over a coffee, teaches me something new and challenges the way I see things.
Sharing this journey with them is an honor, and for someone who grew up in a small town in southern Italy, it is an enormous privilege. I already know that these people will be one of the most valuable things I take away from the MBA.
What student organizations have you joined/are you hoping to join and why?
I am running for the MBASA board as VP Careers & Alumni. Helping people grow has always been the part of my work I enjoyed most: at Accenture, I coached junior colleagues and supported them in developing their careers. I would love to bring that same energy to our class, making sure every student, whatever their background or goal, feels supported in their career journey, and strengthening the connection with the Esade alumni community, one of the most valuable resources we have.
I am also joining several clubs. The Luxury & FMCG Community Club is closest to my career goals, as I want to build a career in new market and product development in consumer goods. The Family Business Club feels like home: I have spent eight years growing my family’s pastry business, and I am eager both to share that experience and to learn from others with similar stories. The Tech Club reflects my interest in how technology, and AI in particular, is changing the way companies operate and reach their customers. Finally, the Healthcare Club is a way to step outside my comfort zone and explore an industry I know little about, but one that is shaping the future of all of us.
What is one thing you have learned about Esade that has surprised you?
What surprised me most is how naturally Esade combines ambition with a genuine sense of community.
Before arriving, I expected a competitive environment, full of driven people focused on their own goals. The ambition is definitely there: everyone here has a clear vision and wants to make an impact. But what I did not expect is how much people support each other. Classmates share opportunities, help each other prepare for interviews, and celebrate each other’s successes as if they were their own. The same spirit comes from the school itself, from professors to staff, who are always available and truly invested in our growth.
It feels less like a business school and more like a community with a shared vision: to grow together, not against each other. For me, that is the most pleasant surprise of all.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
What excites me most is discovering how this year will change me, as a person even before as a professional.
For the first time, I am living abroad, surrounded by people from all over the world, in a program as intense and ambitious as this one. Every day I am exposed to new cultures, new perspectives and new ways of thinking, and I can already feel them pushing me out of my comfort zone.
I am genuinely optimistic about the future. I truly believe this journey will shape a new version of myself: more open, more curious and better prepared for the world that is waiting for me after the MBA. And the best part is that I get to discover that version of myself alongside incredible people.
