Antonio Fellino

Name: Antonio Fellino

Employer: Thomas Cook

Area of work: Travel agents

University: Manchester Metropolitan University

Subject: BA international business

Postgraduate subject : MSc marketing

My masters thesis looked at the mistakes retailers have made expanding abroad and this gave me an interest in working for a business with an international operation. I joined my current employer’s graduate scheme straight after university.

My job

I’m responsible for all aspects of the branch – from staff training and development to driving sales and maintaining good customer relations. A typical day involves holding a team briefing to work out what we need to achieve and to gain feedback from my staff. We then make sure everything is set up for the day by checking bureau de change rates against competitors, aligning products according to customer interest and ensuring that we’re attracting the right customers through our window displays. I normally work from around 8.30 am to 6.00 pm. I spend 95 per cent of the time on the shop floor, which gives me a better understanding of my staff and the issues they have to deal with, as well as allowing me to serve customers.

Best and worst

I thrive on the constant challenge of my job. Something new crops up every day and you have to think on your feet and make quick decisions. It’s also satisfying to see how these decisions impact favourably upon the business. However, I do have to commute from Birmingham to Oxford every day, which is tough when the traffic’s bad.