While Marco Antonelli and Marta Stimoli may come from different generations, both colleagues had planned for a future in law before discovering a passion for human resources (HR). Once Marta began interning at Allianz Trade, their paths converged, giving way to a mentorship rich in mutual learning and support. Here, they speak on the value of working across age and experience.
What brought you to Allianz Trade?
Marco: Although I graduated in law, I chose to follow a career in HR. My first experience was in Italy with an American pharmaceutical company, where I stayed for 10 years up to becoming HR Director, travelling often during this time. I then worked at an Italian automobile company before joining Allianz Trade as HR Director in 2007 – making for a total of 35 years in HR! This field is my passion and I’m proud to have dedicated much of my life to it. About a year and a half ago, I shifted roles from HR Director for the MMEA region to Global Head of People Development at Allianz Trade’s headquarters in Paris.
Marta: I share my Italian origins with Marco as I’m from Sicily, but now I live in Brussels – where I miss the sun and sea often! Like Marco, I also come from a legal background. I had planned to be a lawyer, but while studying for my final law exam I already felt more curious about HR and life within a company. I therefore began my postgraduate Masters in HR, where I met someone who recommended that I intern within the HR team at Allianz Trade in Rome. I’m now responsible for the Benelux region, as HR Business Partner and Talent Manager.
How did your mentorship unfold?
Marta: I first met Marco during my internship with Allianz Trade, in which I supported the regional HR team. From the first moments of this experience, I felt appreciated as a smart, capable team member. Afterwards I took a job elsewhere, but two months later Marco reached out to offer me a temporary position back at Allianz Trade. I quickly said yes, as my internship had been very fulfilling and left a strong impression on me! After joining Marco’s team in Rome, I would always come to him for an opinion and knew that if I needed something, I could turn to him. And now, thanks to him, I’m working in Brussels! He called me one day and said, “I have bad news.” My first thought was, “are you firing me?”
Marco: …bad news because, as you can imagine, it’s never easy to have a very good person leave the team! But I think it’s the responsibility of each manager to support their team members to develop and follow their life paths. So when I heard about an opening at Allianz Trade in Belgium that spoke to Marta’s skillset, I saw it as my duty to recommend her for it. Development is individual and will vary on a case-by-case basis. Although some cultures feel that promotion should be linked to seniority, the way I see it, it’s not about looking at age but at potential – which Marta showed. As I knew she was open to having international experience, I felt Brussels would be a beneficial next step for her.
What have you learned from working with one another?
Marco: What’s been reaffirmed for me since knowing Marta is that there’s lots to be learned by working with people from different generations. Someone who recently graduated can bring great insight, even if they have less experience. What’s important is to give them the opportunity to speak and demonstrate their skills. When Marta was put in charge of the commercial area in Milan, we were nervous about giving such a major project to her. However, I received lots of positive feedback on her performance, proving she could offer HR meaningful support regardless of seniority.
Marta: Working alongside Marco has shown me the value of resilience and the ability to manage a team without spreading stress. When you allow stress to take over and cascade onto others, it creates a negative environment. I’m sure Marco had a lot on his plate, as any HR director would, but he never seemed stressed. I’ve also learned to be brave enough to take risks. That’s in large part thanks to Marco’s willingness to bet on younger people and give them a voice, which is something I really felt on his team.
What do you see as the value of intergenerational collaboration?
Marco: It’s all about diversity. Everyone is different and brings their own experiences, so we have to value every single aspect of diversity present to enrich the whole. For example, I’m not very digitally oriented, but young people are born into a very digital environment. The greatest point of difference between me and Marta may be age, but our stories converge because we are sharing the same area of activity.
Marta: One of the benefits of working at Allianz Trade is that there are many opportunities to develop relationships with colleagues across a range of ages and professional levels. Regardless of generational difference, you can learn from one another – and you can also have a lot of fun together! At the end of the day, Marco and I are still friends, even outside of work. In fact, we have a tradition of meeting up every year for a group vacation with colleagues from our former team. I’m hoping we’ll go somewhere warm this year!
