How Felipe Ferreira propelled his career with the Master of Global Business program
Felipe Ferreira, MGB ’19, talks about how his investment in Gustavson’s unique program paid off and shares his globetrotting adventures along the way.
By Natalie Bruckner
Hunkering down in his tent, miles from the nearest village in Chilean Patagonia, Felipe Ferreira, MGB ’19, braced himself as the sky suddenly darkened. A storm had appeared out of nowhere during one of his long bike rides, battering his tent, the wind and rain howling through the air. Yet, amidst the chaos, he reminded himself of one thing: this too shall pass.
This resilience characterizes Ferreira's life. Whether ice climbing in Kananaskis Country ("I'm actually afraid of heights," he laughs, "but only unsecured heights"), cycling solo 2,400 kilometres in Patagonia, or taking a year off of work to pursue the Master of Global Business (MGB) program at UVic’s Gustavson School of Business, each has been a calculated risk. And each has led in turn to success—and a great story to boot!
It's fitting that Ferreira now excels in global project management. He now works in project finance and sales for wind, solar and battery storage projects with a European-based renewables developer in Germany—an industry that requires leaders to be open and adaptable.
Before his MGB degree, Ferreira had already forged a successful career in global business—a dream he discovered dated back to his youth. "Only recently did my parents send me an essay I wrote about globalization when I was 12," he says. "It's funny that I was already thinking about it back then. Moving from Brazil to Canada during my teens heightened my interest in internationalism and multiculturalism.”
What led him to the MGB
And it was his desire to increase his skillset that led him to the MGB. “I always knew that to advance to the next stage of my career, I needed a master's program.” However, in order to do so, the MGB in question had to fit three criteria for Ferreira: “First, it had to be a reputable university. Second was the length of the program. I wanted something to be a year or less because I didn't want to be outside the workforce for too long and not earning. Third, I wanted something unique and fun. Gustavson ticked all three boxes. The program was so unique that it provided me an opportunity to interact with people from all over the world in a small cohort and move from country to country.”
As Ferreira says, the fun component is often something people avoid mentioning for fear of not looking professional. “But let’s be real, as a mature student, there has to be an element of fun. You learn better that way. Plus, you don't often have the opportunity to take a year off and travel to different countries [like you do in the MGB], and the program opens a lot of opportunities outside of the classroom. For example, my three-month bike trip after finishing the program wouldn't have been possible if not for the program. Other colleagues did similar things, like go to Japan for their work term, and some stayed because they loved it so much.”
Ferreira has many tales from his semester and work term in Peru, such as watching the World Cup, the first time Peru had qualified since 1982. “The excitement and passion of my Peruvian classmates were unforgettable.”
His stay in Peru provided excitement in other ways, too. While he was there, he met with a few local companies for informal chats as part of his learning experience. “One of these chats turned into a full-time paid internship with a Latin America impact investment firm. Spending my work term in Peru also allowed me to improve my Spanish, which continues to be of tremendous value in my career,” he says.
Solidified his career path
While Ferreira says he learned many valuable lessons during his MGB, one interesting development was that it confirmed where he wanted to be. “I was already working in international business, and it really solidified my career path. It helped me expand my horizons into different careers in international management. If you're in a specific field like accounting or finance, a master's degree can really help you figure out if it's for you. For me, it solidified that this is what I enjoy and the field I want to grow in,” he says.
On returning to Canada, he quickly advanced in his career and was offered a management role.
“That promotion meant I could pay off the MGB within a year. It can be a big financial commitment to do an MGB, but the payback was quick.”
On considering what aspects of his MGB he utilizes the most in his work today, he says there are many, but he pinpoints two courses in particular: the international finance and supply chain courses. “Concepts from those courses still come up today given my global scope of work. I was even thinking of sending a message to one of the professors to tell them how their course material is still relevant in my work,” he says.
Working in renewables is, as Ferreira explains, “a steep learning curve, but very rewarding.” But his perseverance and dedication, honed during the MGB program and tested in his global athletic adventures, will see him through his ever-growing career.
—Photos submitted by Felipe Ferreira.