Supriya Pandey

Supriya was just 21 when she started in her first job as a model validator, but by then she had already obtained a bachelor’s degree in her homeland of India and a master’s degree in London, both in economics. Adventurous by nature, she seized every opportunity that presented itself. That attitude took her first to Dubai for KPMG, and subsequently to the Netherlands for Rabobank and then ING, where she now works in “a true melting pot of different nationalities”. 

Attractive promises

“When I was approached by an ING recruiter, I didn’t have any concrete plans to switch jobs,” Supriya says. “But it soon occurred to me that this role at ING held attractive promises, and those promises are still being met every day. In the few short years that I’ve been with the bank now, I’ve already worked in various teams, including for a short-term assignment of six months in a totally different area: the lending team at Wholesale Banking. This gave me the chance to take a close look at the business and to subsequently apply what I learned in my regular work.” 

Second line of defence

That regular work consists of validating new and existing models, which are built by ING’s model developers and used by the colleagues in Wholesale Banking. “Data, methodology, usage, performance, compliancy with the regulatory framework… these are just a few of the aspects on which we test and assess all our models. We are like a second line of defence.” 

Disagreeing agreeably

“Together with the model developers, we work towards our common goal: a secure financial environment at the bank. This doesn’t mean we never disagree. Our job as model validators is to find possible errors in order to improve the models. Our message isn’t always pleasant for the developers; they sometimes spend up to two years working on a model, so I totally understand that they are not always happy with our findings. However, it’s better that we find the loose ends rather than the European Central Bank (ECB) – the external regulator that validates the models after us.” 

The bigger picture 
“What I enjoy most about my job is the technical part of it, combined with the business side. I always like to look at the bigger picture: how are the models used, and how do they contribute to better products and services for our customers?” 

 
“I am completely happy with all aspects of my job, all the opportunities I get for personal and professional growth, and the environment in which I can carry out my work. I also love the fact that my team is a melting pot of people from different backgrounds, cultures and nationalities. ING totally embraces this diversity. For example, it feels good to be allowed to take a day off for a Hindu holiday. And even if I don’t make use of that chance, knowing I have the possibility to do so really makes a difference for me.”