You have to make it work and you have to pay attention to details – this is one of the lessons that Francesco Colombo learnt at MET Group. He explains why the company is demanding whilst remaining fun and dynamic at the same time.
When and in what position did you work at MET?
I joined MET at the end of 2011, and I stayed until the summer of 2016. I was one of the first employees joining the company in its newly-established headquarters in Zug, Switzerland. At MET International (METI), the company’s trading and wholesale division, we were a small team, it was a very small office, we had just one room and five tables!
Joining MET was the first, big, life-changing decision in my life. I started as a Capacity Trader and Originator, later I progressed and was promoted to Head of Portfolio Management.
Have your skills or know-how, acquired at MET helped you, and if yes, how so?
When I joined MET, the first message was “MET has a sixth sense for business opportunities that create sustainable value”. This was a first very good lesson which I learnt pretty quickly.
In addition, the small environment was similar to a consulting company, with a hard-working and result-driven approach. However, the output was different, not simply a presentation or a suggestion made to a company, but something you had to put into practice. This was the second important lesson: you have to make it work and you have to pay attention to details.
If you had to describe MET Group with 3 words, what would they be?
Training, demanding and fun. To me it was like a gym, and up till now I try to use many principles that I learnt during this training. Demanding because it was not a 9am to 5pm job – you go home and you still think about it. And definitely fun, we used to meet outside the office and during the weekends.
When I left, the team had grown significantly and the different nationalities brought a lot of diversity, culture and experiences. I still have friends from MET: some left, some stayed, but it is a nice feeling to meet each other every now and then.
What are the main benefits for you of the MET Alumni Club?
I see two benefits. First of all, I would like to stay in contact with my former colleagues, because I really like most of the people I worked with. If MET gives us the opportunity to stay in touch via communication channels or in-person meetings, it would be great. Besides, many colleagues who left the company stayed in the energy business, and it always helps to have contacts.
To read the entire interview with Francesco, and if you are a MET Alumni, please register on the MET Alumni Club platform https://alumni.met.com