HPAIR Conference

15 May 2018

The Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations is structured around 3 full days of networking activities and keynote speakers’ events. Each day, participants were provided with the tools to best appreciate the event and absorb key details from every speaker. The speakers were selected from different backgrounds and experiences, ranging from a PhD tutor in Renewable Energy systems from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), to the VP of Energy Finance from Citigroup.

Day 1, 17 February

The first day of the conference started off with an inspiring keynote speech from Michael Eckhart, the VP of Energy Finance from Citigroup, which highlighted his career path along with the most pressing issues related to climate change and the possible solutions. His speech was mainly focused on financing projects related to the generation of energy with renewable sources and how, with the help of the governments, the process of CO₂ emissions reduction can be achieved. Following, delegates attended a 2 hours networking session with other notable figures in the field of Venture Capital and Renewables. After dinner, following other networking and panel discussion sessions, the HPAIR committee organised an “international talent night”, where delegates from all around the world could share their artistic talents with a 10 minutes exhibition. The event was very formative as it has been a valuable opportunity to compare different skills from different cultures and experience their beauty.

Day 2, 18 February

The second day was structured in the same way as the first, starting off with a keynote speech from a Venture Capital entrepreneur partner of Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Capital. The speech allowed delegates to understand more about the Venture Capital business and in particular, given the interest of the keynote speaker, the value of having women on the board of any company. The following panel sessions were very interesting, as one of the notable speakers was a PhD tutor in Renewable Energy systems who highlighted the main challenges associated with producing energy in a clean and sustainable way, along with a possible solution. Moreover, he also highlighted some features regarding Elon Musk Teslas’ technology and some of its pitfalls, without failing to highlight its strengths and reasons for success.

Day 3, 19 February

The third and last day was structured in a different way to the others. The day consisted of a challenge, proposed by Deloitte, which constituted in a project where delegates, divided into groups of 4, had to allocate capital between two funds. Both funds had a social scope, meaning that they were aimed at providing capital for social projects involving scholarships for less-fortunate children as well as environmental improvement. The challenge lasted the whole day, and it was a valuable opportunity to learn how Deloitte conducts its business and how the firm is committed to improving social welfare. Moreover, partners of Deloitte were attending the conference along with some HR professionals, which allowed me to receive a valuable insight into the recruitment process.

Concluding Remarks

Overall, the experience allowed me to improve my network and expand it further towards the American and Asian continents. I have met numerous competent individuals with whom I have shared experiences and knowledge, ranging from the financial field to possible solutions to mitigate climate change effects on our planet. I was also able to visit Boston and experience this wonderful city, along with visiting Harvard and MIT. I highly recommend the experience to anyone who is interested in developing an international career, whatever field chosen.

Edoardo Serrini, MSc Finance. Find more information about Santander funding under Opportunities.