By Italy, a nation of Saints, Poets and Sailors. Italy, always accustomed to discovering the world, pushing the boundaries of “Il Bel Paese” to do business, learning about new cultures or, simply, travelling. The desire to discover and create opportunities that go beyond the limits of what we know has prompted us for centuries not to stop, but to explore. This is what pushed Brian Pallas – whose name may not sound Italian but who, being born and raised in Milan to an Italian Mother and an American father, is very Italian – to launch his own start up, Opportunity Network. The company started in New York but has now a global presence with offices in London, Barcelona, Dubai, Santiago de Chile and will soon open in Asia. As of today Opportunity Network has customers in 78 countries. Brian’s story begins in the show business, a world he is used to since his father runs an event organizing company, but in which he paves his own way. In fact, while studying at Università Cattolica, rather than attending classes he writes scripts for Zelig, a well-known stand-up comedy show that everyone used to watch in Italy at the time. Nevertheless, he graduated not only on time, but earlier than his peers and with honors. After graduating, rather than continuing his career in entertainment he decided to change course and devoted himself to consulting. He received offers from both McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), two of the most prestigious consulting firms in the world. He chose the latter and worked there in the Milan office for around three years. BCG decided to sponsor Brian for his MBA program at Columbia University and during this time he came up with his business idea. This idea was Opportunity Network, a business matchmaking platform that enables CEOs to share and connect to business opportunities worldwide. Members are invited only through reputable financial, legal and professional services firms. In today’s world, made smaller by technology but with growing business possibilities, Opportunity Network, with its Italian DNA and an international mindset, seeks to challenge distances and seize these opportunities. Opportunity Network provides a bridge to a world of opportunities, offering a channel that allows companies that excel locally to explore international markets. In recent months, prestigious institutions have partnered with Opportunity Network to provide their clients with access to the platform. In regards to the Italian market, Intesa Sanpaolo and London Stock Exchange Group – including Borsa Italiana – have partnered with Opportunity Network to allow their clients to join this network. Internationality and Italy are words that are intrinsically linked to Opportunity Network for several reasons. On the one hand the platform enables thousands of Italian companies to become known and explore business opportunities across the world. On the other hand, the company has grown globally thanks to the contributions of several Italians both in terms of human and financial capital. Some, in fact, have offered their expertise and professionalism and others have provided capital, all of them with the common goal of turning a brilliant idea into a concrete reality of growth and success. Opportunity Network combines innovation and tradition with modern digital technology, allowing companies to seize international opportunities quickly and safely.
by Brian Pallas
