Becoming a strategic thinker and growth mindset champion
ATOS
Since 2019, IfM Engage has helped the multinational IT company Atos nurture their future leaders through the FUEL for Emerging Leaders programme, drawing on management, policy and education research from the Institute for Manufacturing.
The starting point
When corporate leadership and academic enrichment meet, it can yield transformative outcomes. Laura-Teodora Cotorobai’s experience on the FUEL for Emerging Leaders programme is a shining example of it, characterised by ambition, growth, and strategic evolution.
Laura is an IT professional with a background in biomedical engineering and forensic science. She joined Atos in 2018 as Incident Manager and swiftly progressed through various roles: In 2021 she became Head of Service Management, and took on the role of Head of Service Operations for Romania two years later, leading a unit of around 100 people. In parallel with her corporate achievements, she is currently pursuing a PhD in AI, seeking to enhance computational speed and streamline algorithms for greater efficiency.
As a natural leader who brings intelligence and creativity to every task, Laura was a standout choice for the FUEL talent development programme. Driven by a desire to bolster both her strategic thinking and her presentation skills, Laura was curious about the programme but sceptical, too:
“I had anticipated a traditional teaching approach in a formal setting, but was pleasantly surprised by the programme’s collaborative and dynamic nature. Activities were so carefully planned and integrated theoretical and practical components.”
The FUEL Learning Journey
The FUEL programme includes a one-week module in Cambridge, and this emerged as a highlight for Laura.
“The experiential, hands-on teaching and group tutoring enabled interaction and collaboration, and any reservations I had about the programme were put to rest. It was hard work, but I found myself invigorated rather than overwhelmed by the learning load,” Laura said.
Reflecting on her overall FUEL experience, Laura identifies how her critical thinking and problem-solving skills improved during the programme. Inparticular, she found the complex problems methodology beneficial when coupled with an enhanced ability to build and create compelling narratives for presenting solutions. To this end, the sessions about data presentation and visualisation were exceptionally useful, exploring how to gather and use data to capture different audiences.
In addition to those specific practical skills, two significant learning points stand out for Laura. First, through change management sessions and team projects, she improved her ability to embrace change. Second, navigating team dynamics during project work heightened her self-awareness and adaptability, helping her better understand herself and her colleagues.
“FUEL gave me a growth mindset which has stuck after the end of the programme. Now I’m committed to a path of continuous learning and want to set a good example to those around me.”
“Laura’s impressive accomplishments highlight a journey toward professional excellence, and we are confident that her success story will motivate and inspire others.”
Jaime Carillo, Talent Director, Atos
“Laura’s impressive accomplishments highlight a journey toward professional excellence, and we are confident that her success story will motivate and inspire others.”
Jaime Carillo, Talent Director, Atos
Programme impact and career acceleration
The FUEL programme has led to significant behavioural changes for Laura, and boosted her personal development.
“FUEL gave me a growth mindset which has stuck after the end of the programme. Now I’m committed to a path of continuous learning and want to set a good example to those around me,” Laura said.
Laura’s perspective as a people manager has evolved, too: she has become better able to go beyond the operational issues of her day-to-day role, allowing her to see the bigger picture and take a more strategic outlook.
This behavioural shift aligns with Atos’ corporate vision of talent development—viewing growth not just as vertical progression, but as a horizontal expansion of skills. A workforce capable of strategic thinking ensures adaptability, innovation, and resilience — essential qualities in the contemporary workplace.
Laura appreciated the commitment, support, and clear communication that IfM teachers, tutors and Atos leaders demonstrated during the programme. Now, she intends to pay the benefits of her experience forward by being an advocate for growth, learning and adaptability.
“The FUEL experience has helped crystallise my career plans. Armed with newfound skills and perspectives, I want to help lead Atos into the future by taking on more strategic roles within the company,” Laura concludes.
“We create a safe and stimulating learning environment allowing participants to thrive and develop on a professional and personal level. Our programmes involve working in culturally diverse cross-functional teams enabling individuals to undergo significant growth and get first-hand experience of working across organisational boundaries.”
Dr Judith Shawcross, Head of Executive and Professional Development, IfM Engage
“We create a safe and stimulating learning environment allowing participants to thrive and develop on a professional and personal level. Our programmes involve working in culturally diverse cross-functional teams enabling individuals to undergo significant growth and get first-hand experience of working across organisational boundaries.”
Dr Judith Shawcross, Head of Executive and Professional Development, IfM Engage
About the programme
IfM Engage have co-designed and co-delivered the FUEL for Emerging Leaders programme with the Atos Global Talent Team since 2019. FUEL is a bespoke education programme designed to enable emerging talents to develop leader mindsets and skillsets in the context of the global Atos business. This practice-orientated programme builds strategic, problem solving, innovation and interpersonal capabilities drawing on research from the Institute for Manufacturing. The participants use these capabilities to address real in-company projects to develop their team-working, collaboration and complex problem-solving skills. With participants from around the globe, FUEL is a cross-cultural experience that allows participants to develop strong relationships and an internal network of future leaders.