Marcin Pawlik

I’ve always wanted to be a mentor

After graduating with a degree in econometrics from the Warsaw School of Economics, Marcin Pawlik started his career in the market risk department of a large Polish bank. There, he developed his first models for pricing and risk management of derivatives and structured products. Now, 14 years later, as a Chapter Lead at ING’s RiskHub in Warsaw, he supports the growth and evolution of a team of model developers.

Having gained extensive experience in both banking and consulting, Marcin chose to go back into banking. “I’d enjoyed working on numerous large-scale projects in different places in my previous job as a consultant, but I felt it was time for more stability and more time at home with my wife and kids.”

Joining ING’s RiskHub

That wish resulted in him joining ING’s RiskHub in Warsaw. “At that time, a number of big international banks were opening offices in Warsaw, and ING was one of them. I was approached by a headhunter and joined ING as a Product Owner in the Asset/Liability Modelling (ALM) squad in October 2019.”

“I already knew ING quite well as I had done an internship there plus holiday work for three years. ING appealed to me as a down-to-earth, non-traditional bank, with people who enjoy their work. I was also very much attracted to the agile way of working, in line with the Spotify model.”

Teaching the team

“The role of Product Owner gave me the opportunity to not only create new things but also to see them develop, which was something I’d missed in my previous position as a consultant. It’s like watching your kids grow up, and I like that very much. Besides that, I’ve always wanted to be a mentor and teach my team new risk modelling skills. The Product Owner role comes close to that idea.”

New experience

“Shortly after, I was offered the role of Chapter Lead. It represented another step towards fulfilling my wish to be a mentor. I found being a Chapter Lead even more interesting as it’s a whole new experience for me to give ‘soft’ guidance to colleagues. If you had asked me previously, I would have said that transferring experience, supporting people and making a team better were not my strongest points. But I’ve discovered how much I enjoy this role and how eager I am to develop that side of myself. It’s great that ING gives me the opportunity to do so.”

Growth of the RiskHub

Meanwhile, the RiskHub itself is developing as well. “Managing risk properly is a top priority at ING. We work with a great team of talented and dedicated people, who are all committed to reaching the highest of standards. It’s interesting and satisfying to contribute to the company and have a real impact with our work.” While working at ING Tech Poland in the RiskHub area we are consistently pursuing the goal of enhancing risk assessement and decision making processes by providing automated toolings that support those. It is a fascinating journey where you can combine analytical expertise with programming skills and learn new things. We believe that by these means we can contribute to the greater goal of safe and secure bank.