Now, she’s CEO of pioneering community foundation ICOM, making a social impact and driving local development in her native Brazil.
Established to strengthen local communities with social investment, since 2005 ICOM has impacted over 800 non-profits, 284,000 people and granted over $500,000 to community-based organizations.
Its center for social innovation is the only co-working space in Brazil supporting non-profits and social investors with mentorship and capacity-building services. And the award-winning ICOM Transparency Portal connects thousands of non-profits and social investors online.
Since her MBA in the US, Mariane has worked to boost social and economic development in Latin America including a stint developing a women’s leadership program with the Peruvian government.
She took up the reigns at ICOM in June, and based in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, in the city of Florianópolis – Brazil’s Silicon Valley – she aims to take this one step further, and revolutionize the culture of philanthropy in Brazil.
What plans do you have for ICOM going forward?
My goal is to change the reality of the Brazilian non-profit sector.
My main projects include the creation of a movement of social investors - companies and people - to help strengthen communities in Santa Catarina, and in Brazil. And I’m working to scale ICOM’s Transparency Portal to reach over ten thousand non-profits nationwide.
ICOM was created by local activists to strengthen fragile community-based organizations and improve the impact of their work. We mobilize local donors to invest in community development. We map community assets and spotlight local issues. We promote social innovation. And we are making the community foundation concept work in Brazil.
What are the challenges?
We face a poor culture of giving in Brazil, mostly as a result of a lack of trust in the non-profit sector. And Brazil ranks in 105th place in CAF’s World Giving Index.
Non-profits and other community-based organizations lack the visibility and strength to show the relevance of their work. Locally, nonprofits are usually small, with a budget of less than $20,000 a year.
We overcome these challenges by strengthening nonprofits and fostering the culture of giving and trust in non-profits in Brazil.
How has an MBA changed your career path?
During the MBA at GWSB, I was able to get involved in many projects which helped me understand where I wanted to go. Among them, a consulting project in the area of social innovation for a cosmetics company in Peru.
Out in the field, exposed to people living in poverty, I felt that my personal mission was to return to Latin America, and work towards a better quality of life for all, one community at the time.
I wanted a career change and a leadership position that wouldn’t take long to reach. Here I am, five years after graduation.
Why did you decide to pursue an MBA at GWSB?
I realized I was not satisfied with my career in the financial industry in Brazil. And I wasn’t sure in which direction I wanted to go.
An MBA would give me the opportunity to get to know myself better and find a fulfilling career in the long term. I chose GWSB because of its reputation in the international development field and its proximity to many international, multilateral institutions like the World Bank and the IMF.
What should applicants think about when deciding to do an MBA?
Ask yourself: ‘where do I see myself in five years?’ and ‘how will an MBA help me get there?’ If you find it hard to answer these questions, maybe you are not ready for the adventure.
Research the business school to which you are applying; ask for a current student contact; speak to as many people as you can; be true to yourself and to the school.
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