“An SME is the opportunity to quickly add value and take on responsibilities.”
Nice Premium: Tell us about the company you work in and your role within it?
Nicolas Votano: The company Imminence operates in the real estate sector, offering real estate agents a solution for creating, developing, and operating inter-agency exchanges within groups and MLS Multiple Listing Service® exchanges. Imminence has acquired specific expertise in the deployment and operation of MLS exchanges. This expertise results partly from adapting the MLS model as it works in the United States to the French market, and partly from the professional experience of its leaders. Thus, Imminence’s field of intervention involves operational project management as an integrator of skills, that is, an MLS operator.
NP: How long have you been in this position?
NV: I held the position of International Project Manager for 1 year. I was in charge of the company’s international development pilot with Italy as a test market. Starting from January 1, 2008, I will take on the role of Director of the Italy Branch to market the offer developed during the pilot project.
NP: What is your professional background since you graduated?
NV: My two-year experience at Schneider Electric allowed me to consolidate my know-how in innovation marketing. I could indeed approach all marketing dimensions of a project: analysis of commercial results, redefinition of market segmentation, analysis of customer needs, identification of offer gaps, and support for the commercial launch of a new generation of industrial automation devices. After this experience, I joined the company Imminence.
NP: Have you always wanted to work in this field or is it the result of opportunities?
NV: I have always had two requirements in my professional career: to work internationally and the degree of responsibility granted. These two points seem essential to me to be competitive in the job market.
NP: What is your educational background, what degree(s) have you obtained?
NV: I hold a Master’s in “Global Management and European Business” from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Nice (CERAM Sophia-Antipolis).
NP: What is the image of students from your former school in the professional sector you work in?
NV: There is a very positive image of former CERAM students. The main advantage of business schools remains the quality of the network offered to final-year students.
NP: What advice would you give to students considering a career in your sector? In your opinion, is it preferable to start in SMEs or large structures?
NV: It’s all about choice. A large firm is an opportunity to build a good business card and discover your profession. An SME is the chance to quickly add value and take on responsibilities often difficult to reach within major groups of the CAC. My recommendation is therefore as follows: You must follow your instinct and your short and medium-term goals.
NP: Why have you chosen to work internationally?
NV: I chose to work internationally because, in terms of career prospects, it is much more interesting. The responsibility of a profit center internationally ensures rapid advancement. Additionally, these are often exciting challenges to tackle.
NP: What are your current prospects for advancement, your professional aspirations?
NV: In the medium term, I will ensure the direction of the Italian branch of IMMINENCE. The goal for 2008 is to deploy in all key cities in Italy to make the most of the synergies made possible by the intensification of the Franco-Italian real estate market.
For more information on the company Imminence: https://www.imminence.fr
