Name: Emilio Martano
Role: General Manager, Portugal, at Amplifon
Years at Amplifon: Nearly 10
CEMS Experience: graduated 2007 from Bocconi in Italy, with a semester at HEC Paris.
Helping people to hear the world around them
Amplifon helps people with hearing loss "rediscover all the emotions of sound," explains Emilio Martano, who leads a central team and around 100 stores in Portugal, offering a range of services and products to support hearing heath.
For Emilio, a sense of purpose is fundamental to his role. "Hearing is deeply connected with emotion, relationships, family and quality of life," he says. He describes the moment a customer first puts in a hearing aid: "It's a magic moment when they hear back their life. It's incredible."
A management rollercoaster
Emilio likens his job to a rollercoaster. "You have to zoom out to the big picture, asking, am I taking the right direction? Then zoom in to look at a single KPI, to assess whether the everyday performance is delivering what you're expecting," he says.
Much of his time is spent with his team or in stores, listening to people and motivating them. "It's really about people management at the end of the day," he says. "Having our people well trained and motivated makes all the difference."
Emilio describes Amplifon's culture as dynamic, entrepreneurial and people-driven. The business balances opposites, which is one of the factors that has kept him there for nearly ten years: "a mix of data and emotion, strategy and execution, management and people."
Growth in every direction
Emilio’s own career journey is a perfect example of how Amplifon develops people. He began in 2017 as Marketing Director in Italy, moved into a customer experience role, then relocated for his role in Portugal. Amplifon invests in leadership programmes, coaching and training with prestigious universities - many within the CEMS network.
However Emilio stresses that development is a two-way street. "As long as the company puts the tools and investment into growing talent, you also need to own your own development alongside it," he says. “Show curiosity, ask for feedback, be willing to leave your comfort zone.”
"Also, don't think of career progression as only vertical. There are different dimensions of growth within Amplifon, geographically as well as function-wise."
A global mindset, thanks to CEMS
Emilio remembers his CEMS experience at HEC Paris fondly and credits it for the "international friendships that have lasted to this day."
"When Amplifon gave me the opportunity to move abroad, that was something I was looking for because it is in my DNA. I do feel Italian, but I strongly feel global as well, and I'm sure that happened thanks to CEMS."
That is why Amplifon looks to CEMS for talent. The mobility and career paths it offers, he says, fit perfectly with the CEMS global mindset. "Early in your career, two things are incredibly important: exposure and impact."
INSIGHT BOX
Emilio's advice for CEMS graduates considering a career at Amplifon:
- Look for purpose. If you want a job with impact on society, Amplifon can be a place for you.
- Raise the bar every day. Amplifon has a strong culture of everyday excellence. It doesn't mean being perfect. It means asking yourself, can I raise the bar?
- Visit a store before your interview. Book a consultation or do some mystery shopping. It's always impressive to listen to a fresh point of view.
