Marco Cunetto, a graduate of the Master program in Economics and Institutions of Islamic Countries (MISLAM) at the LUISS School of Government, has always been interested in international markets and the promotion of Italian businesses abroad, and hoped to eventually work in that area. He has now realized this ambition with a job in the communications and marketing branch of the Tunisian-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CTICT) in Tunis.
"To operate in MENA (Middle East – North Africa) countries, you need to understand the dynamics regulating the economies in the Arab world," says Marco. The MISLAM Master guided his professional choices and broadened his interests to include Mediterranean countries. In addition, it gave him "a macro-economic and micro-economic approach, allowing me to offer companies those “niche skills” that are essential in a world where the internationalization of companies is becoming ever more important."
Rapid developments in the Mediterranean in recent years have generated major career opportunities for those who understand the importance of cooperation and who possess the tools to address the specific needs of this region. "Why the MENA area? Because small, medium and large business owners see incentives to invest in this area: growth in GDP, tax incentives, reduced costs for access to inputs and new contexts that herald 'the markets of the future.' Not to mention the impact of laws related to Direct Foreign Investments (Investimenti Diretti Esteri, or IDE) in companies."
But operating within Arab markets requires more than just an understanding of their economic systems; a familiarity with the various cultures and regional differences is also crucial. "Cultural management plays an important role in negotiation and trade relations. Specifically, it is important to know the different variants of Arabic in order to negotiate successfully."
He got into CTICI after he finished his MISLAM Master, with an internship in the marketing of services for the consolidation of economic relations between Italy and Tunisia. "After my internship, I was hired by the area that coordinates all institutional communication as well as operational business and marketing activities. It is an honor for me to support Italian and Tunisian businesses and represent the country’s economic system along with the ICE agency for the promotion and internationalization of Italian businesses and the Embassy in Tunisia."
Marco describes getting closer to the Arabic-Islamic world as "an educational experience that has definitely paid off. I’d like to thank the director of the master, Professor Francesca Corrao, who understood how to guide me and help my ideas take shape."