7 Questions for Our Intern Partnership Account Manager Arno

Partnerships are at the core of what we do at clovio, which is why we’re always excited to expand our Partnerships Account Management (PAM) team. Arno is our newest team member, joining us as a remote intern while he finishes his studies at VIVES University of Applied Sciences in Belgium. As a PAM intern, Arno is helping us explore new leads and grow our media brands with new partnership opportunities. In the latest installment of our Meet the clovions series, we chatted with Arno about his internship at clovio and even discovered his secret talent.

Where do you come from and what are you currently studying?

Hello! My name is Arno Devogele, and I am currently finishing up the last couple of weeks of my bachelor’s degree in the English Programme of Business Management at VIVES University of Applied Sciences in Kortrijk, Belgium. I live very near to Kortrijk myself. In my free time, you will most likely find me at the local youth organization (Chiro) where I am a group leader of one of the younger branches.

How did you get enrolled in our internship program at clovio?

Under normal circumstances, I actually wouldn’t have done an internship. For the third year of the bachelor’s degree, students in my field of study can choose between studying abroad or doing an internship at a company. Originally, I had chosen to go on Erasmus to the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this plan eventually fell through.

Instead, I had to find an internship. Luckily, I had heard about clovio from a professor and that’s how I eventually ended up here.

What is your role with clovio?

I am an Intern Partnership Account Manager. This means that I’m responsible for finding new leads that we can work with, following up different opportunities with these leads, negotiating and closing out deals.

Because a diverse portfolio of tasks always looks good on an internship report, I have also had the opportunity to do other assignments as well. These include writing for the Feeling Lucky and Financus websites, doing market research, establishing our sales process in a handy guide for future clovions to use, etc.

What have you been learning during your internship at clovio?

I think the most important thing I’ve learned during the last couple of weeks is time management. Despite employees at clovio having the opportunity to work flexible hours and plan their work time as they wish, I like to keep to a strict schedule. Because of this, I need to keep in mind the different tasks that still need to be completed, their deadlines, how they fit into my schedule, etc.

Multitasking has been something I picked up during my internship. Luckily, I have my old-school written agenda to keep track of all the work that must be done. As I like to work while listening to good music, I have also learned the lyrics to most songs in my Spotify playlist :).

Do you have a hidden talent or skill?

I’ll make the distinction between my professional and private life here. I think that the most important skill I possess is my resistance to stress. During my studies, I’ve often heard people praise this quality during hectic times – think of group projects, exams, bachelor theses, and so on. When classmates start freaking out, I tend to stay calm and collected.

My biggest talent in my private life is related to my love for music. I can remember the lyrics to most songs after only having heard them two or three times.

What does your ideal day at work as an Intern Partnership Account Manager look like?

I get up at 7:15 a.m. and get ready to start my day. Next, I’ll go into the kitchen to enjoy a nice cup of coffee. Then I sit at my desk and start working. From Monday to Thursday, workdays last until 5 p.m., and on Fridays, I stop at 3 p.m. After finishing my work, I go for my daily walk. In the evening, I’ll go meet some friends or stay in and watch some Netflix.

What are your career plans after you finish your internship?

From the next academic year onwards, I’ll shift the focus of my studies from Business to Political Sciences, and enroll in the International Relations and Diplomacy program at the University of Antwerp. This means that for at least the next two years, I’ll still be sitting at a desk. After finishing this, I’d love to go abroad to pursue new academic or professional opportunities.