Passionate about finance: QS MBA Scholarship winner

Saul Casadio, Chicago Booth’s MBA class of 2008

Having previously worked in the financial industry in Italy, QS MBA Scholarship winner Saul Casadio knew exactly what he wanted to achieve from attending the Chicago Booth School of Business, at the time known as the Chicago GSB.

“Before my MBA I was working in Italy and I’d done different things within the finance industry in Italy,” Casadio explains.

“The reason why I decided to enroll on an MBA was, while I had a good career in Italy, when you are in finance, you want to do finance at the highest level.”

In true Italian fashion, Casadio uses a football (or soccer) analogy to express the route he had planned out before applying to business school in order to rise to the top.

“Let’s call it the premier league, and the premier league is not in Italy, it’s in London or New York,” he explains.

“So for me the MBA was pretty much an opportunity to see the world outside of my country and to explore the possibility of doing something in finance, but not in the second league, in the premier league.”

Business schools in the world’s financial hubs

As a result, Casadio narrowed his options down to business schools based in either London (the location of Chicago Booth's European campus) or New York, so that he could ensure the best opportunity for himself in forging an MBA career within finance in either of the two cities.

“Pretty soon I decided that London would be my place. The MBA has definitely helped me to pursue that, to move to London, and if I want to, to New York.

“That was my objective and it worked out. Even though I did my MBA in 2006, and finished in 2008 - you know how finance has been since 2008,” Casadio says, referring to the ongoing global financial turmoil.

“So it’s been, let’s say more challenging and more difficult than anticipated, but I’ve done well. I’m happy for that - it’s not been easy, to be totally frank, but I’m pretty happy with the position I have now.”

Now working for investment management company Alliance Bernstein as a credit analyst, Casadio says that he was able to utilize Chicago Booth’s alumni network in order to secure his first post-MBA role at Deutsche Bank, a role which he believes was instrumental in achieving his career ambitions.

In fact, it was the endorsement of one alumni already working for the company that Casadio says helped to swing it for him: “He showed me the door, and I’m really grateful to him."

Kick-starting a career with an MBA network

“I think the interesting thing about the Chicago network is that when you find someone from your school, it can really help you - he really endorsed me, so it was not just opening the door and letting me know, it was really, really supporting me throughout the process.”

Now, looking back at the path he’s taken since completing his MBA, Casadio is certain that the program was worthwhile.

“It’s definitely helped me,” he says. “I wouldn’t be here without my MBA.”