INTESA SANPAOLO SIGNS PARTNERSHIP WITH IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON
- The IMI Corporate & Investment Banking Division joins the world-leading university’s Imperial Business Partners programme
- The agreement includes networking initiatives and development programs for young talent
- IMI CIB Division will also support the Venture Catalyst Challenge, fostering entrepreneurship and innovation among students
Milan, 8 April 2025 – Intesa Sanpaolo, through its IMI Corporate & Investment Banking Division, led by Mauro Micillo, has signed a membership agreement with Imperial College London, one of the world’s most prestigious universities, to support initiatives focused on training and engaging emerging international talent.
The agreement establishes Intesa Sanpaolo as a member of the university’s Imperial Business Partners network and includes opportunities for students and IMI CIB Division managers to engage in discussions, offering insights into careers in Corporate & Investment Banking. Additionally, the Division will participate in judging panels for academic awards at Imperial College London, contributing to the recognition of outstanding ideas and emerging talents.
A key initiative of the collaboration is the support for the Venture Catalyst Challenge, a competition designed to enhance students’ entrepreneurial and teamwork skills through workshops dedicated to business plan development, project pitching sessions, and meetings with investors. The award ceremony for the Challenge, scheduled for autumn, will serve as a valuable opportunity to support students’ educational paths and foster knowledge exchange between academia and the financial sector.
“The partnership with Imperial College London reflects our ongoing commitment to attracting and developing young talent, providing them with concrete tools to understand the financial world and build a solid professional career,” said Mauro Micillo, Chief of the IMI Corporate & Investment Banking Division of Intesa Sanpaolo. “Through initiatives like this, we aim to foster dialogue between academia and industry, supporting the growth of a new generation of professionals with an international and multidisciplinary vision.”
Julia Zanghieri, Director of Imperial Business Partners, said: "Our close collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo will give the Imperial community valuable insights into the needs and career paths in the financial services industry, especially in emerging areas of fintech and sustainability innovation. It will also help the banking group build relationships with a new generation of talented innovators and gain early insights into the newest technical innovations under development at a world-leading entrepreneurial university."
Imperial College London is one of Europe’s and the world’s leading universities, renowned for its excellence in research and teaching across science, engineering, medicine, and business. The university is also recognized for its application of these skills to industry and enterprise.
As part of the collaboration, on March 24, the first international event of the “Finance and Good Stories” program was held at Imperial’s South Kensington campus. This initiative, already successfully launched in several Italian universities, featured Guido Maria Brera, author of Diavoli, who engaged with students to explore the forces shaping global financial markets. The event was introduced by Mauro Micillo, Chief of the IMI Corporate & Investment Banking Division of Intesa Sanpaolo, and Professor Gilles Chemla, Professor of Finance and Co-Director for the Centre for Financial Technology at Imperial College Business School.
The agreement with Imperial College London aligns with the objectives of Intesa Sanpaolo Group’s 2022-2025 Business Plan, led by Carlo Messina, which emphasizes a strong commitment to educational inclusion and youth employability as part of the bank’s broader initiatives to address social needs and reduce inequalities.
Furthermore, the partnership with the prestigious university reinforces the IMI CIB Division’s international strategy, aimed at fostering synergies with top academic institutions and providing young talents with concrete opportunities in the financial sector, bridging the gap between academic education and professional experience.
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Media Relations
Intesa Sanpaolo
Corporate & Investment Banking and Governance Areas
Last updated 8 April 2025 at 11:32
