Arian, Analyst Portfolio Management

How did you come to ING?

After completing my dual studies in the private and business client sector of a bank in Bielefeld and my Master's degree in Finance, Accounting, Controlling, Taxation & Law, I joined ING in October 2023. To do this, I moved from my beloved home town of Bielefeld to Frankfurt and started as a trainee in the International Talent Programme (ITP) in the CFO area. I completed the traineeship at the beginning of this year.

What has been your path at ING so far and what is your current role?

As part of the traineeship, I was able to rotate through different areas of the bank and got to know teams in three domains. I started in the bank's accounting department, followed by rotations in management accounting, treasury and market risk. For my rotation in Management Accounting, I chose the Wholesale Banking department because I have always been very interested in business and client relations.

My last rotation was in the Portfolio Management department in Wholesale Banking. I was very happy to be able to continue there as an Analyst in portfolio management after completing the traineeship. Here, my loan portfolio includes customers from the Transport & Logistics sector.

Why did you choose Portfolio Management in Wholesale Banking?

During my Portfolio Management rotation, I realized how much I enjoy working with clients and how exciting it is to work with companies that we all know from our everyday lives. I was also attracted by the fact that I was able to take on responsibility here from day one. As an analyst, I already work with clients in the shipping, aviation and land transport sectors from the portfolio side. The opportunity for development was also a decisive criterion for me. For example, I was able to expand my shipping knowledge as part of the international Anatomy of Ship Finance training at the Cambridge Academy of Transport in the UK.

What can you apply from your previous rotations in portfolio management?

A lot! The experience and skills gained during the ITP help me in my everyday work - both analytically by building models to forecast company activities and strategically in projects such as the development of new dashboards or the integration of AI in our department.

In addition to that, we work very internationally. The portfolio management team consists of people of different nationalities and I work with our colleagues from various ING locations such as Amsterdam, Brussels, London or Singapore on a daily basis. In doing so, I draw heavily on my international experience from the six-month stay abroad in Australia, which I completed as part of the ITP.

Why did you decide to move to Australia?

I was very keen to get an insight into the requirements and the market of a non-European location. As a faraway country, Australia was perfect for growing both professionally and personally.

What did you particularly like about your stay in Australia?

I was warmly welcomed by my colleagues on site and immediately felt welcome. The start into the new environment was made very easy for me by similar systems as well as our globally valid code of conduct, the Orange Code. I really enjoyed the Australian lightness both professionally and privately and took it with me back to Germany.

What advice would you give to young people your age who are at the beginning of their careers in finance?

To be open to new things and to change, because this is the only way to grow and develop personally and professionally. As is well known, many roads lead to Rome and I am very happy to be working in portfolio management today due to my openness to different areas.

However, I also think it's very important to stay true to yourself, because in my view this ultimately leads to success and satisfaction.

What motivates you at work?

I am particularly motivated by our satisfied clients, as well as the knowledge that as a bank we are a support for our them – for example in the context of ESG projects. Our team and the very good cooperation in Wholesale Banking are also very important and motivating for me. As a newcomer, I receive cross-departmental support and we recently went on a hike together as a team in Eltville.

What are you passionate about in your free time? What do you like to do outside of work?

Through my time in Australia, I discovered traveling and hiking for myself. I found Uluru in Australia particularly impressive, as both landscape and culture meet here. That's what makes this place so magical for me. But Tasmania and New Zealand were also great destinations that I traveled to during my stay abroad. But it doesn't always have to be a distant destination: the Teutoburg Forest or the Taunus also have a lot to offer. My next destination is Costa Rica, I'm really looking forward to it.

What distinguishes your team and ING for you?

Simple answer: Diversity. I firmly believe that diversity is an important factor in the success of a company. Interpersonally, it also works very well in my team because we are a team with people from a wide variety of countries, ages, genders and backgrounds. ING actively supports collaboration and diversity through various networks such as YoungING, the Cultural Diversity Community, the Lioness Network or the Rainbow Lions.

How has ING supported you on your career path so far?

As a trainee, I was given many opportunities for further development. For example, as part of my trainee program, I was supported in completing the first level for the Chartered Financial Analyst certificate of the CFA Institute. ING covered the costs and I received additional leave days to study. In addition, I have been provided with a personal coach and numerous group sessions to develop personal skills.