It’s one thing to say you have a global business perspective. It’s quite another to test that perspective by actually working in a different country and culture.
This lesson has hit home for Joe Antonellis MBA ’82, vice chairman of State Street Corporation, who headed to the U.K. in 2010 for a two-year assignment. From his London office, he leads all Europe and Asia-Pacific global services for the firm.
“When I worked in Boston, I thought I had a global view,” says the 20-year State Street veteran. “Now that I’m overseas, I see that not all decisions should be made in Boston. We need to stay nimble and keep current with regulatory changes around the world. My role is to grow the business, organizational framework, and talent pool to make this a truly global company.”
Toward that end, Antonellis oversees major operations such as fund accounting, foreign exchange trading, and capital markets in 29 countries.
“All regional heads report to me,” he explains. “I’m involved in establishing and driving strategy for all State Street business outside the U.S.”
Career Building
The London posting is Antonellis’s latest in a steady rise at State Street, which has involved stops in mutual fund services and information technology, and as executive vice president and chief information officer. In 2006, he was named vice chairman.
An MBA from Bentley was an early key to success.
“I probably wouldn’t be sitting where I am now without Bentley,” says the first-generation Italian American, a native of Watertown, Mass. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, he entered the management operations track at Bank of Boston. “I chose an MBA for my advanced degree because I really liked what I was doing.”
Bentley’s focus, proximity, and option for part-time study made the school a perfect fit.
“I loved the course work because it was so tangible,” says Antonellis. “I could put it to work right away.”
Paying it Forward
In addition to his work at State Street, Antonellis serves on the Board of Directors for Euroclear PLC and Boston Financial Data Services, and as non-executive chairman of PensionsFirst. His nonprofit commitments include chairing the Board of Directors for Boston Partners in Education, which supports academic achievement and personal growth for children in Boston Public Schools. Finally, as a member of Bentley’s Business Advisory Council, Antonellis joins other corporate leaders in offering a sounding board for university initiatives.
“I really enjoy the council,” he says. “It has allowed me to get to know people in the business community and at Bentley.”
One of Antonellis’s notable contributions to the university is spearheading an overseas internship program for Bentley graduate students. Interns have worked on projects alongside State Street staff in Boston and the city of Hangzhou in eastern China. In the summer, qualified candidates studied Chinese language at Hangzhou-based Zhejiang University.
Though the recent financial downturn put the program on hold, all signs point to its resuming this year. Antonellis cites the international experience as invaluable for any aspiring manager.
“The ability to work with a global company is key in understanding how projects get done around the world,” he says. “Plus, in China, students are exposed to the world’s fastest growing economy.”
In that way, the alumnus is helping today’s students gain the same kind of edge that Bentley afforded to him.
“Bentley provided me with the exact right career solution,” he notes. “It taught the skills I needed and gave me the lingua franca to succeed in the business conversation.”