The best thing about our work? Doing something meaningful!

Could you tell us about your career at ING and your current position?

I started my career at ING twelve years ago as a Wholesale Banking trainee in Romania. I remember being offered internships by two other banks. Looking back, I’m very happy that I chose ING. Thanks to ING’s global presence, I was able to work in Bucharest, Amsterdam, New York and Frankfurt. Experiences that I greatly value and have allowed me to grow tremendously, both professionally and personally.

I’m currently part of the EMEA Energy Sector Coverage team based in Frankfurt. I work with major German and international companies in the Hydrocarbons & New Energies sector. Our job is to help our clients decarbonize in order to reach a net zero emissions economy.

If you were to explain your job to your grandmother – how would you describe it?

We fund projects that help people have access to clean, reliable and affordable energy in their everyday lives. Be it heat for their homes, electricity for their appliances and cars, or even new energy sources like hydrogen – to power the new buses you may have seen in Frankfurt.

What do you like most about working in Wholesale Banking?

Wholesale Banking is an amazing environment because it brings together an incredibly diverse group of people – all experts in different areas. This allows us to provide our corporate clients with customized financing solutions and solve just about any financing problem they may face. Our global experts have deep industry experience in any business you can imagine, from high-in-the-sky aviation to deep-in-the-ground mining and everything in between. This cross-sector collaboration is extremely valuable in the context of the energy transition. For me, it’s very satisfying to bring all these people together and use everyone’s unique expertise to solve unprecedented challenges. We do that quite often when we work with companies that need customized and highly structured financing solutions.

What does a bank have to do with sustainability? And how can we as a bank have a positive impact on our planet?

Banks play a complex role in today’s society. It’s not just about providing liquidity or taking deposits. Through their internal policies, banks can influence which industries or companies will have access to capital.

What I like about ING is that we have chosen to be an ambitious leader – rather than a comfortable follower – in our ambition to drive the energy transition to sustainable sources. This means that we work with companies that share our sustainability goals. We collaborate with them on driving the transition from carbon-intensive energy sources to sustainable alternatives.

What impact does your job have on the planet?

Our ambition is to be at the forefront of emerging zero-carbon energy systems promoting green molecules, like: hydrogen and its derivatives, carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) and waste-to-hydrocarbons that provide an alternative to renewable energy sources like solar and wind, which, by nature, are not always readily available. Simply put, we help our customers transition to new, more sustainable energy sources that benefit the environment and future generations.

Is it important for you to be able to make an impact with your job?

Absolutely yes! The best part of my job is doing something meaningful for society. And the belief that you can make a difference. Without that, I would get bored very quickly. And I can promise one thing to anyone who wants to get involved in corporate banking at ING: it certainly won't be boring!

Which aspects of our culture are particularly important to you? Which benefits do you use or like the most?

In terms of internal culture, what I value at ING is diversity, collaboration, growth, development and the desire to take responsibility. These are all values that I think are increasingly important, especially for younger generations. Everyone has different ambitions, and there is no one-size-fits-all plan for success. What does ING do well? It supports individuals to forge their own path to where they want to be.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

😊 Wholesale Banking at ING offers great opportunities for young talents who want to work in corporate banking. If you want to learn more, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me or my colleagues!