Around the World Under the Wing of Marketing
Milan, London, Geneva, Luxembourg and now Oman. Francesca Gilli's professional career has bounced from city to city, following the milestones of a professional and personal path of growth that has also become a shared family adventure over time. "Since the age of three, I have studied in international schools and grew up thinking that my job would take me around the world," Francesca Gilli sums up, connecting via video from Muscat – capital of the Sultanate of Oman – where she is Global Brand Director for the high perfumery brand, Amouage. "However, after graduating in Business Administration at Bocconi, I did not have a clear idea about my future. So I accepted an internship at Merrill Lynch, which was useful to understand that investment banking... was not for me." Her passion for marketing was sparked with a second internship, this time at BMW – an experience that influenced her choice to pursue a Specialized Master, which then led to her first job at Kraft Italy. "The lure of working abroad, however, was too strong and when P&G – the true masters of marketing – called, I immediately flew to Geneva to work on the launch of the Dolce & Gabbana makeup line. It was one of the best jobs I have ever had, even if it came to an end a little abruptly. I actually became pregnant and, when I returned from maternity leave, my division had been sold and the new environment was completely different. A change was needed, which took the form of a new role for Ferrero in Luxembourg."
It was at this point that Francesca's choices became those of the whole family. "My husband and I decided that my career would come first; it was like that even when we left Europe to come to Oman. He took longer here than in other cities to find work because they favor locals, but now we are doing really well, including my son who is now eight years old. It is a great blessing to have someone who shares your same interests; in our case, not only curiosity about the world and a desire to learn about different cultures, but also the daily efforts that managing a household and raising a child far from family entail. Reconciling both career and family life should not be a constraint for any woman. Most importantly, we women must not think it impossible to find a reliable and flexible person who, if the situation allows for it, agrees to prioritize our career."
In this sense, the Omani environment – in the context of the Middle East – also represents a vanguard of open-mindedness and equality between the sexes. "Here I have never felt any discrimination at work," confirms Francesca. "There are some cultural traditions that maybe are strange to us; for example, in the evening men go out with men and women with women, but I do not see anything wrong with that. Furthermore, the work in particular is extremely stimulating because Amouage is the leading brand in Oman and its identity fits with the culture and values of the sultanate." Management's goal is to change the brand without misrepresenting it to transform it into a global brand, and the results of this strategy are confirmed by double-digit growth in all markets. "Despite the successes, I never feel that I am doing enough," reflects the manager. "In fact, I believe that in order to develop new skills, you need to set yourself new challenges. So, I am quite sure that in a few years I will be somewhere else, even if I cannot say where because I surprisingly feel pushed in opposite directions – that of seeking a new home even further away, for example in Singapore, and that of returning to Italy."
