Cosmin Ghita, alumni Class 2008, forged a strong reputation in business and international relations, working with renowned companies from the United States, with a focus on strategic management and consulting, especially regarding South-Eastern Europe. He then served as the Energy and Mining Advisor to the Prime Minister of Romania, and in 2017 impressively became the CEO of Nuclearelectrica, a publicly listed employee state-owned nuclear power producer delivering 20% of Romania’s energy needs, with a workforce 2200 strong.

This year, we are immensely proud to announce that Cosmin has joined the AISB Board of Trustees. We are grateful beyond words for Cosmin’s decision to volunteer his time and vast experience and expertise to AISB’s administration. Perhaps one of the most exciting things is Cosmin’s unique perspective as an AISB alumnus, which brings unparalleled insight to the governance of the school.

Enjoy this amazing interview:

WM: What motivated you to take a chance, applying for an AISB scholarship?
CG: I strongly believe that the first years of our education are crucial to our future. I am very grateful I had the chance to experience my teachers as mentors, which inspired me from an early age to always ask for more from myself. Therefore, I took the application process as a personal challenge. At the same time, I was interested in a more collaborative and initiative-driven educational system and aimed at pursuing a university degree abroad.
So, from this point of view, AISB was clearly one of the best choices for me: its reputation, its excellent team of professors and the results of their alumni are draw-ins for many young and ambitious students.

WM: What is a particularly fond AISB memory that stands out to you?
CG: When one of our colleagues kidnapped our French teacher’s (“Madame”) giant Tweety bird and posted a hilarious ransom video, which we all (students and faculty alike) enjoyed. This is a quintessential feature of the AISB culture – we could all joke, be friendly, bond, but we also respected each other’s limits and roles when it came to school work – needless to say, Madame was one of the toughest teachers. 

WM: How has AISB changed you?
CG: I believe AISB formed me, not only changed me. AISB has the system, culture and experience able to take an ambitious teen and guide them into a career path, by inspiring them to bring out the best in themselves. My years in AISB made me a better critical thinker, gave me a better appreciation for soft skills and a well-rounded, rather than a specialized, education. Despite being at a young age in my career, I have cycled from work in a large corporation, to a small entrepreneurial shop, and then government. One’s ability to learn and adapt is key to today’s career success, and that is what AISB teaches most. Additionally, I have always worked both with international and domestic business partners, so I feel that the multicultural aspect of AISB has also left a strong print on me.

WM: How has your life been different from what you’d imagined?
CG: In my early years of high school, I was actually thinking about becoming an actor. Needless to say, life has taken multiple unexpected  turns, and I am looking forward to the ride. Staying present and open to opportunities defines me, and now that I look back, I can appreciate that every activity in my education played its part in shaping my present role. I strongly believe it is important to cultivate our talents and natural skills, as they are helpful when you are young to enjoy the education, to have fun whilst learning, and later on, they contribute by bringing passion in any business field.

WM: What’s one thing that you wish you knew more about when you began your career?
CG: The importance of active listening and giving constructive feedback, which are skills that you cultivate as a leader, over time. You can learn them from books, but practicing them every day in an organization has made me appreciate their value.

WM: What makes you feel inspired, and what keeps you going?
CG: Results – good things coming to fruition. I believe this is a common denominator for me in my work and personal life. I am inspired by potential, and achieving results motivates me along the way. There is nothing to keep me going like the challenges I set myself.

WM: What does reinventing yourself mean to you?
CG: The ability to stay present and open to opportunities. We are always on a growth path, and it is crucial to be able to reinvent ourselves whilst staying true to our values and personal vision for life, especially at the start of one’s career.

WM: How do you continue to learn and reinvent yourself within your business?
CG: I am proud to work in one of the most exciting business fields, at the edge of the 4th industrial revolution – in the nuclear energy field, being the CEO of Nuclearelectrica, the national energy and nuclear fuel producer. I am one of the youngest managers in my business field, and my attitude of continuous improvement helps me to stay on top. This is a culture we are also applying in our organization, which inspires us and motivates us to be personally responsible for our growth. At the same time, with the changing of the generation, or different challenges that rise up, one needs to step up their skill set and therefore adapt and grow. The pandemic brought into my life resilience, empathy and pushed me to build my team’s unity at a level higher than ever before. 

WM: How did moving back to Romania fit into your growth? How about coming back to AISB?
CG: AISB provided me with a set of highly important skills and values, among which was the desire of working whilst studying. Thus, during my university years in the US, I also worked, and being hard-working, passionate and curious, this led me to amazing business opportunities. I had the professional opportunity to come back to Romania with a corporate start-up, and I took it as a personal challenge. As I stayed here, I realized the opportunities that lie herein, and I have tried to develop those ever since. AISB culture is about giving back. The school has done a lot for me and my personal development, and it is my honor to give back in every way that I can. I appreciate the mentors and the inspiration I got from the Board, teachers and guests, and I truly believe it is our responsibility to inspire future generations and contribute to their development. At the same time, I would like to inspire teens and open their curiosity about the nuclear energy field, which for me is a continuously rewarding career path.

WM: As the newest board member and only Alumnus on the AISB Board of Trustees, what’s your vision about how AISB could reinvent itself?
CG: AISB is a very strong school within the IB curriculum world – it needs to hold on to its community spirit and the things it does well,
but also look at ways in which it can service students better in a changing world: inclusion of more technology throughout its teaching, preparing for a career and university, teaching the value of learning how to learn; being more connected to its alumni network can definitely help. The new mission and vision – I find well-balanced and can provide a strategic direction for the school to grow. These are, of course, frameworks, within which it is, ultimately, the job of each member of the school community to bring their contribution to the final reshape. I am proud to contribute to this with my experience.

WM: How do you feel that your unique perspective as the only returning Alumnus on the Board will influence the Alumni Association?
CG: I hope my involvement will make the Alumni Association more active and inspire more of the members of the alumni community to become and stay active in the school community after graduation. I believe it’s our responsibility to give back and open the doors of our business fields in a more meaningful way, by sharing our experiences, our career paths and real stories to students. These inspire teens to ask for more from themselves and dream bigger.

Read the whole World Magazine here: