External Affairs team
External Affairs team

Department · 1 member · Internal appointment · Partnerships

External Affairs

External Affairs connects TIC with companies, institutions and other student organisations. The team develops partnerships and helps arrange office visits, case studies, challenges and workshops with the departments involved.

Meet the Team ↓

External Affairs

Our Team

Afonso Bento
Afonso Bento

Afonso Bento

Head of External Affairs

in
See how External Affairs works

What holds this department together

Members are appointed from within TIC and continue working in their original departments. They contact potential partners, arrange meetings and stay in touch after events to plan future collaborations. The schedule depends on the partnerships in progress.

External Affairs

What we do

External Affairs is chosen from within TIC and is not part of recruitment. This is how it works and what it is accountable for.

External Affairs

We connect TIC with companies, institutions and other student organisations, building partnerships that create opportunities for our members.

Current responsibility

TIC partnerships
Live since September 2022

TIC has worked with eleven organisations since 2022, including BNP Paribas, Iberis Capital, McKinsey, BCG and Leonteq. The Board and other members originally managed these contacts. External Affairs became a separate department in 2026 and now continues that work.

See it →
How does the work run?
  • We look for organisations that could work with TIC and contact them with a proposal linked to the club's activities.
  • When a partner is interested, we arrange a meeting and agree on the activity, date and departments involved.
  • After each event, we gather feedback and stay in touch with the partner to discuss future collaborations.
  • The schedule varies with the partnerships in progress. Some weeks involve several meetings; others focus on emails and follow-up.
What does External Affairs deliver?
  • New partnerships with companies, institutions and student organisations.
  • Ongoing collaborations with existing partners. Oxy Capital and Iberis Capital have each worked with TIC more than six times.
  • Updates to the Companies page and the information departments need to prepare each activity.
How are External Affairs members chosen?

Members are appointed from within TIC rather than through general recruitment. They already know the club and its work, and continue to be part of their original departments alongside their External Affairs responsibilities.

What makes External Affairs effective?

The work calls for clear communication, patience and good organisation. Members need to explain what TIC can offer, keep track of conversations and follow up on commitments with both partners and the departments involved.

How does this relate to the departments?

External Affairs manages direct contact with partner organisations. It works with the Board on partnership priorities and with Marketing when an activity needs to be promoted.

vs Board →
The Board sets partnership priorities and is responsible for TIC's institutional relationships. External Affairs contacts partners, arranges activities and keeps the Board informed. Its head is also a Board member.
vs Marketing →
Marketing creates public content and maintains TIC's visual identity. External Affairs talks directly with partner organisations and agrees on joint activities.
How members are chosen

External Affairs members represent TIC in conversations with external organisations, so they need to know the club and the work its departments can offer. Members are therefore appointed from within TIC and keep their roles in their original departments.

Tools

  • The club's email and phone · contacting partners and following up
  • A contact record · contacts, meetings and agreed next steps
  • PowerPoint · presenting TIC and partnership proposals

External Affairs is chosen from within TIC.

Explore the departments →See who we work with →