VanillaPlus: What was your first job?
Lorenzo Romano: I was a trainee Foreign Exchange trader broking Italian Lira and US dollars – back in the days before the Euro.
VanillaPlus: What led you into a career in telecoms?
Lorenzo Romano: I had returned from an 18-month sabbatical to travel the world. Europe had signed up to the single currency commission so there were no FX trading positions in the city. A friend of mine from university had the job of marketing director at an engineering firm responsible for building the network and datacentres for a thing called the ‘internet’. It sounded exciting so I took a job in business development and haven’t looked back since!
VanillaPlus: Without naming and shaming, tell us about your worst ever boss.
Lorenzo Romano: I worked for a fax sales company and the owner had a very odd way to motivate his sales team, by taking away their chair when they missed their target. It was certainly not motivating and I quickly moved on.
VanillaPlus: What has been your most memorable business travel experience?
Lorenzo Romano: I’ve had plenty, but on one trip to Singapore I was booked into the Marina Bay Sands shortly after it opened in 2010. I was upgraded to a city view suite and swimming in the 200m rooftop infinity pool which connects the three towers housing the hotel – it’s the most incredible and extravagant city hotel experience.
VanillaPlus: What has been the proudest moment in your career so far?
Lorenzo Romano: Being promoted to UK & Ireland managing director for Orange Business Services.
VanillaPlus: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Lorenzo Romano: Hopefully my two kids will be at university and I can take holidays in term time and save a fortune!
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