Meet Roberto Persivale, our business model mastermind
A Venezuelan born Peruvian, Roberto Persivale has worked as a Designer at The Growth Drivers since 2020. Drawn to impact creation, Roberto is attracted to sustainable ventures and applies a unique approach to problem solving through business model innovation that supports the burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem within Australia and abroad.
After finishing secondary school in Lima, Roberto wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and study abroad. With friends already making their way to study in Australia, Roberto set his sights on the Australian National University in Canberra. Roberto moved to Australia in 2006 to pursue a Bachelor in Arts and Asian Studies at one of the country’s most prestigious universities. Moving from the bustling chaos of Lima to the calmer planned streets of Canberra was jarring for Roberto at first, but he quickly found his feet thanks to his fellow students. He cites the university community as one of the best parts of his experience, speaking fondly of uni events, meeting people from around the world and going on day trips to places like Sydney and Melbourne.
Since Roberto was in school, he was always drawn to learning about the human side of issues. He became passionate about understanding society and culture, and as he grew older, he developed a fondness for travelling and learning new languages. Through these experiences, he learned how to help others who were in different circumstances to him, and more importantly, how to learn from them too.
Roberto’s professional experience has spanned a multitude of sectors, shaping his ability as a designer and problem solving. While studying at ANU, Roberto completed a two-month internship with Austrade, a division of the Australian Government that encourages and assists Australian private enterprise to succeed with international trade and investment. He also completed internships at Libelula and EcoSecurities back in Peru, both companies that delve into the climate change and sustainability sector. These roles included activities like developing a WWF-sponsored adaptation project that aided a rural community and evaluating the Peruvian market in carbon neutrality.
His next career highlights included an internship at Macquarie Group in Canberra, a role as an Analyst at the Beijing Axis in Beijing, and a four-year stint at Asesorandes, a Peru-based boutique consulting company that specialises in financial advisory and business development in Peru and the Andean region. Between all of this, Roberto also founded Andean Corner, a small business that strived to promote Latin American entrepreneurs in Australia who have a positive impact on their local communities and environment.
For Roberto, the best thing about working with The Growth Drivers is the people. He’s fueled by the shared vision of his team, and cites the work culture as one of the best parts of the role.
A productive environment where mistakes are are considered learning opportunities, Roberto loves the open leadership structure and the fact that his actions can make a world of impact.
Situated in the development side of design, Roberto works closely with clients to build their innovation and entrepreneurial skills. From designing and running incubator and accelerator programs to developing new ideas in agricultural technology, to working with CSIRO to develop a suite of programs to support innovative solutions to abate plastics pollution, Roberto has a wealth of projects on any given day to keep himself busy.
Driven to make an impact because of a desire to keep the world spinning for future generations, Roberto is a firm believer that impact needs to be embedded in every aspect of our lives – from our time, to our money, and our efforts. Recognising the opportunities that have come his way, Roberto is passionate about doing his part through design to forge a better world.
