Marco Goffi

IESE Business School

“Innovation enthusiast, committed to doing well by doing good.”

Hometown: Bergamo, Italy

Fun fact about yourself: My ultimate, and frequent, adrenaline fix is to join weekend go-karting competitions.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Bachelor of Science in International Economics and Management, Bocconi University, Milan.

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? EMEA Product Manager, SheerID

Where did you intern during the summer of 2023? Oliver Wyman, Dubai

Where will you be working after graduation? Associate, Oliver Wyman

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• PEVC Club Co-President – VC (from May 2023)
• Consulting Club Mentor (from Sep 2023)
• Start-up & Entrepreneurship Director for Company Treks (Aug 2022 to Aug 2023)
• PEVC Club Director for PEVC Conference (Aug 2022 to May 2023)
• Lead Organiser of the Southern Europe Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC)
• Student Ambassador for IESE’s International Advisory Board
• IESE Excellence Scholarship
• Winner of IESE’s Capstone Project

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Venture Capital is an extremely fascinating industry, albeit one that’s very hard to decipher. There’s a lot of mystery about what Venture Capital funds do on a day-to-day basis, and the ways to join them. My objective from the beginning of the MBA was to crack this code by sharing my learning and resources with MBA colleagues who were VC enthusiasts. Being elected as co-president of the PEVC Club, together with my colleague Caroline, gave me the platform to do exactly that by allowing me to share the interest that over 150 IESE students have for Venture Capital by organizing tens of informal dinners with experts. I also raised the profile of the IESE PEVC Conference by attracting speakers from every continent. I’m very grateful and honored to have served in this role, and very proud of the club leadership team that made this vision of mine a reality. This has been an incredible opportunity for me to give back to the IESE community, and I hope to be able to keep supporting future leadership teams in the years to come.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Doing well by doing good has always been my career vision. When I had the opportunity to join SheerID at the beginning of its expansion in Europe, I jumped at the chance for exactly this reason. As a B2B SaaS business, SheerID offers companies the ability to see how customers belong to a particular segment, or community, with students among them, so that these businesses can in return offer them benefits or promotions with no risk of fraud or discount abuse. During my time there, I pioneered a new verification methodology that has allowed tens of millions of students to access these benefits instantaneously (some of which also form part of the students’ educational curriculums), particularly in less fortunate parts of the globe. Not only did it reduce disparity and create a better world, but also reducing yearly costs by over $1M! These are the kind of achievements that motivate me and that make me proud of my work, and I will strive to keep looking for similar opportunities in the future.

Why did you choose this business school? During the application process, I had the opportunity to talk to students and find out more about their origins, career paths and future professional visions. I could talk endlessly about the extreme diversity of their profiles (which would later give me so many opportunities for personal knowledge enrichment in discussions both inside and outside the class!), their willingness to help and be supportive, and their sense of motivation. However, I think what really drove the final decision was their entrepreneurial spirit and IESE’s resources in this field. I was captivated by the opportunity to meet so many incredible people who would eventually be interested in launching their own ventures, as well as networking (in class, IESE-organized initiatives, and club events, but also in the city) with the entire start-up and Venture Capital ecosystem. And how can you say no when it’s all complemented by the great beauty, culture, and weather of Barcelona?

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Since day one of the MBA, I’ve been extremely impressed with the level of academics at the school, which makes answering this question quite complex. If I really had to single out one person, I would say my marketing professor, Iñigo Gallo. He consistently drove case discussions in ways that would reveal new perspectives and angles that I could never have imagined, while always giving food for thought at the end of the sessions and keeping the class hooked in ways that not even the best Netflix cliffhanger could do. I’m sure many of the discussions he diligently moderated will serve me well in the future.

(I also want to mention Prof. Marc Badia, Prof. Mathieu Carenzo, Prof. Heinrich Liechtenstein, Prof. Robert Raney and Prof. Maya Rossignac-Milon – while our paths have crossed in different ways, you’ve all impacted me incredibly and I will be forever grateful for that.)

What was your favorite course as an MBA? Despite coming from an undergraduate background in Economics and Management, all the courses taught me something new and gave me the gift of new perspectives. There is, however, one course that I loved more than any other: Entrepreneurial Finance led by Prof. Thomas Klueter. This course provided me with incredible insights on the life of both entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, as well as more alternative asset classes like search funds. My favorite session, and one I’m particularly grateful for, was the one on term sheet negotiation, which went into more detail on specific terms and the perspectives of founders when deciding which VC fund is right for them.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Personally, the hardest moment of the MBA for me was at the very beginning. Having access to such a talented cohort of people, from so many different backgrounds, provided so many stimuli that forming a vision for a post-MBA career became quite tricky. If I had to do it again, I would try to take a more structured approach by putting together different plans and testing the assumptions around them more consistently, while obviously never closing the door on ways to improve them. Shaping this vision took me a few months, which meant I could neither make full use of school resources during this time nor spend time effectively on the first recruiting efforts.

What is the biggest myth about your school? If there is something I consistently heard before joining IESE, it was talk about how to reconcile the “impossible trinity” of career/academics, social activities, and getting enough sleep! I still remember asking about this during my admission interview with Amaka Ndubisi from the MBA Admission team (also an IESE Alumni) who said it would not be a problem for me given that my experience as a Product Manager meant I was used to prioritizing tasks. While her comment reassured me, I found myself struggling with this impossible trinity quite a lot and I can confirm that this “myth” is actually true. Thankfully, I had the incredible support of both my MBA team and other course colleagues, that allowed me to prioritize different things at different times. This helped me to cope when the trinity became hard to manage and to provide support when the same thing happened to my fellow students. The degree of collaboration and understanding among my colleagues is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the factors that made this MBA experience truly amazing.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? What I love the most about Barcelona is that every time I walk in its streets, I always discover something new. This could be a new restaurant or bar in Eixample, an artisan fair in Poblenou, or a panorama in Montjuic. After almost two years, I still feel there are so many parts of the city I haven’t seen nor explored. Even from a professional development standpoint, the opportunities are endless. As an example, Barcelona is home to the Mobile World Congress, the largest mobile conference in the world, but also has a very active start-up and VC ecosystem, which constantly organizes pitch competitions and networking events. The cherry on the cake, when Spring comes of course, is the beautiful Catalonian coast.

What surprised you the most about business school? The high workload, intense networking, and variety of resources are all things that surprised me a lot. However, one thing I was not expecting was such a strong focus on the development of soft skills. Indeed, one of the first courses offered during the MBA is focused on Communication and on how to tailor different types of speeches to your objectives. Soft skills are represented at least as much as hard skills in the elective courses, with one example being “The Science of Conversation In Business and Life”, which explores the links between psychology and business. The opportunities to develop soft skills have certainly laid a solid foundation for my leadership journey.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? The incredible talent of my MBA colleagues means there are a lot of people that I would like to mention. I hope each of you knows how great you are, and that I was able to express my genuine appreciation and admiration for you during our journey. There was, however, one person that I was lucky enough to meet even before the MBA started, in one of the pre-MBA networking events. Mohamad Yassine is one of the most determined and resilient people I have ever met. His commitment to growth, both personal as well as part of the community, has been astonishing. He never fails to share whatever he learns, being it a networking contact, a career opportunity, or a potential business idea. His contributions in class are consistently profound and thought-provoking, enriching the growth of everyone involved. Beyond his exceptional qualities, he’s also an incredible friend. I envision the possibility of us becoming business partners or colleagues down the line.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? I want to follow my career vision and philosophy of doing well by doing good, while hopefully managing, as a leader, to inspire people to do the same. In the future, I would also like to move back to Italy to contribute to the growth of the start-up and VC ecosystem, cultivating the incredible creativity, ingenuity, and talent of the country.

What made Marco such an invaluable addition to the class of 2024?

“Marco stood out in my classroom. Not because he sought the spotlight, but because of his clear intelligence combined with his thoughtful and effective communication. In moments of silence, uncertainty, or complexity, he was often the one to step forward—whether to tackle a challenging question, share an insightful opinion, or offer support to a classmate struggling with an answer. His ability to contribute without overwhelming conversations or dominating discussions raised the quality of my classes for all the participants. Within the IESE community, particularly in the venture capital arena, Marco has taken on significant leadership roles. He has been instrumental in organizing key events such as PEVC Conferences and investment competitions, as well as facilitating informal dinners with industry leaders. These efforts have not only enhanced our academic environment, but also expanded our network within the venture capital community. Beyond these public roles, Marco’s support for his peers in academic and career challenges has been notable. Our MBA program at IESE is heavily structured around “Teams” during the first year. As the mentor for Marco’s Team, I was able to observe the less public, yet still profoundly impactful, ways that Marco thrives as a leader. Marco pairs his intelligence with humility and approachability, making him a trusted and respected figure among his peers and an advisor and mentor himself. Finally, one of Marco’s most remarkable traits is his positive energy. His optimism and enthusiasm are infectious, uplifting those around him. He not only represents the culture we strive to create at IESE, but also the potential of business leaders to effectuate positive change. I am confident Marco will continue to inspire and lead in the business world for years to come.”

Prof. Robert Raney
Associate Professor, Accounting and Control

“I had Marco in class in the first term of the MBA. Although I only taught half of the sessions, Marco made a very positive impression on me. His low-key demeanor and his serene smile may make you not notice him at first… but as soon as he participates in the class discussion one realizes he is a solid citizen. Thankfully, he participated frequently, to the benefit of everyone in class. The content of his contributions was consistently high, finding different and relevant angles to the discussion and backing his opinions up with good analyses. For me this was evidence of two things, a thorough and professional preparation of the case before the class, and a well-structured head. One can be hard working and smart, but unpolite or unpleasant. That makes it hard for people to work with someone. It seems to me that Marco doesn’t have this problem. I believe he is polite and pleasant, all around a very likeable person, and one with whom I could see myself working with. I hope he continues to put his talents in service for others, and for a better world indeed!”

Prof. Iñigo Gallo
Associate Professor, Marketing

“Marco’s strategic thinking was instrumental in expanding the IESE PEVC Conference, successfully drawing a diverse international audience and high-caliber investment funds. The event not only grew in scale but also in stature under his stewardship, becoming a benchmark for similar university-led initiatives. The PEVC Dinners, executed under Marco’s presidency, provided an invaluable platform for MBA students to engage with industry veterans in a casual yet informative setting, facilitating a deeper understanding of the sector’s dynamics. His efforts have consistently bridged the gap between academia and real-world application. Marco’s knack for recognizing and mentoring talent has made him the unofficial ambassador for students aspiring to enter the venture capital world. His proactive approach has enriched the IESE community, providing students with the guidance and insight needed to navigate the complex VC landscape. I’m not just advocating for his tangible achievements but also for his inherent qualities of empathy, teamwork, and the genuine passion he brings to the field.”

Stefano Lazzeri
Head of Finance Careers, Career Services Center

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: CLASS OF 2024