Seize The Window: Andrea’s Advice For Professional Growth

Hi Andrea, can you tell us about your education and your professional journey so far?

How did I get here? Well, my journey wasn’t linear, I didn’t study economics. I’m a nuclear engineer... But while studying I also began developing an interest in finance. This got me interested in pursuing a career related to economics and finance rather than engineering.

At the time, I encountered an opportunity for an internship in Operations controlling at Burger King Italy. Back then there wasn’t a formal controlling function, so I worked on various analysis like sales forecasting, productivity monitoring, and food waste tracking. After two and a half years, I moved to the Finance Department. That’s when we started creating the Controlling function within Finance, finding new talented team members.

After nearly five years in Burger King Italy, I had reached the end of that chapter. I was open to going abroad, and QSRP gave me the chance to become Head of Controlling at NORDSEE. Working in a different language and culture was a major growth experience. I spent three years there and built a strong, capable team.

I was actually very lucky to always find talented young people. Both in Burger King Italy and NORDSEE I was very proud to see team members stepping up to lead the department after my departure.

After NORDSEE, I joined QSRP central team for a different type of role that brought many new challenges and interactions. Today, I lead the Group Financial Planning & Analysis. My team is responsible for consolidating business reports from the local teams and creating performance reports. We also manage the forecasting, budgeting, and business planning processes, and serve as business partners for all departments.

You started quite young from an internship and today you lead a strategic function, how did you get here?

I think the answer is simple: I’ve always tried to give my best. In my first week, I was manually copying numbers from PDF files into a database. But I gave importance to the task, and I would think of how to improve the process. That mindset stuck with me. Creating efficiencies has allowed me to free up time and learn new things.

Knowledge-sharing has also been important. As soon as I master something, I transfer the knowledge to someone else. This creates a ripple effect and accelerates team growth. This helped me lead strong teams and learn not just from my work but from theirs.

I’ve also been lucky. Every time I was ready for the next challenge, an opportunity came. You need patience, but when a window opens, you must seize it. Being led by talented and experienced managers has been the other important piece of the jigsaw. Even when I was simply taking notes, I made the most of every meeting, learning how managers think, how they ask questions, how they make decisions. This helps you make huge leaps in your development.

What advice would you give to today’s talents of QSRP?

First, be dedicated and do what you're asked at the best of your ability. For those on the International Talent Program, it’s also important to be flexible and open to relocation.

Help the company solve problems, and the company will, in turn, know how to support your growth. If you want to become a leader, try to look beyond your immediate role or department. Adopt a broader perspective that considers the company big picture. Be willing to do different tasks and think beyond your team or brand.

Finally, trust your leaders, they might see opportunities that you don’t.

You’re known for having strong maths skills. How about your social skills, how do you get around collaborating with so many departments and Business Unit?

I think people overestimate my math abilities. I also don’t push colleagues on the math itself, I try to encourage them to think about the financial impact of their actions and decisions, even in a qualitative way, to understand how to prioritize also in financial terms.

At times my professional relationships can be a bit intense. I challenge myself and others, and I like to bring energy into discussions. I enjoy that bit of healthy tension, it shows people care. Not everyone appreciates this style, but I think most recognize my passion.

One of my former bosses used to say: “If you're doing controlling right, your colleagues should hope not to meet you in the elevator.” Part of our job is to ask uncomfortable questions. It doesn’t always make you popular, but it’s part of the role.

That said, I believe I’ve always managed to build good personal relationships, even when my professional approach was challenging.

What soft skills are important in your role?

Flexibility and the ability to work under pressure are key. It’s also essential to build close partnerships with local teams so they feel we’re on the same side and that you understand their day-to-day priorities.

Spending eight years in local teams before moving at Group level helped me a lot. I know how complex daily operations can be. I try to maintain open dialogue with local teams to find pragmatic solutions together. It’s all about constant contact and making sure people know you care about their business. Relationships matter.

Looking ahead, how do you see your path with QSRP?

There are still many possibilities. It was evident from day one that QSRP would invest heavily and grow fast, creating cascading opportunities, new roles, more responsibilities, which is one of the main reasons I joined.

And that’s exactly what’s happened. We are more and more an international, multi-brand, multi-product company. Many of the talented colleagues I started with have grown into significant roles. There are opportunities across geographies, product categories, and brands, and you can leverage what you already know while facing new challenges.

Given how fast things move here, it’s hard to plan for the long term. Even in just 2-3 years, everything can change a lot. But I see myself continuing to grow here. There’s still a lot of room for expanding responsibilities and leading new projects.

I’ve always approached my career as being at the service of the company, geographically, functionally, activity-wise. Of course, it must also satisfy my desire for professional growth and learning. As my job keeps me learning, engaged, and exploring new areas, I’m happily committed to QSRP.