Estonia

Karina, team lead

I am Karina, team lead in Transaction Monitoring Investigations, and on the side workplace ambassador. Fun fact, little humans (kids) refer to me as the money police. I kind of like it! 😀 

Originally, I am from the heart of Tallinn, but fickle soul like I am in travelling-wise, I have lived in 4 different countries (Estonia, Finland, Spain, Sweden) and yet the Nordic winds have brought me back to Estonia. On the weekends I am usually lost in the woods or bogs, and to be frank, we have many of those in Estonia. Oh, and on the weekdays (after work) I am just Jamie Olivering! Food loves me and I love food, especially when accompanied by dear friends.

I had just moved back to Estonia to get my law-degree to secure my future opportunities (thinking like a lawyer). I felt like working in the financial-banking sector would open some doors and came to Nordea Estonia. Also, it was important to me to uphold my Finnish language, so I started working in a Finnish team.

To be honest, I continue to realize every day, that I made the right decision by joining Nordea Estonia. I have grown a lot in the past 4 years and have had 3 different positions. This has shown me that a multicultural work environment can be a truly enriching experience, which I dare to recommend to everyone. My best days are our team’s cake days, which happen almost every other day in our team! Or at least it was before a global situation decided to distance us from the office and put us on a diet.

I am proud of our team’s good atmosphere, infinite humour, outstanding productivity, ambitions, support, and creative contribution to all kinds of social events. With them, it is so simple to enjoy every day. My team is a bunch of awesome people, full of fascinating ideas, versatile knowledge due to different backgrounds, and co-operation.

Chris, senior financial crime prevention expert

I’m Chris, a senior financial crime prevention expert from both – Estonia and USA. I am interested in films, video games, mathematics, and jigsaw puzzles.

 I knew Nordea Estonia as an employer before I came here. My acquaintances were already working here and got the impression that it was a good place to work. And since I have always had an interest in mathematics and data science, it seemed like a company with a lot of different opportunities to fulfill my interests. Since then, I’ve been provided a lot of room for personal growth. It provided me with opportunity to learn new skills and I felt my hard work as rewarded.

The best day at work was when we had a fun team-building exercise in Ülemiste City. We ran around the industrial park, like orienteering and participated in team challenges. That brings me to a fact that I really value my teammates. I have people with diverse backgrounds both in fields of study as well as cultural backgrounds next to me. It is a welcoming environment where everyone is happy to collaborate and help each other.

Margus, customer production officer

My name is Margus and I work as a customer production officer. I was born in Estonia, in a small and beautiful town called Suure-Jaani. After my army duty, I moved to Finland, but life brought me back to Estonia.

I was looking for new challenges and a friend of mine worked here. I took my chances and applied to Nordea Estonia thanks to my friend’s recommendation. I have realized that working in a bank is not just working in an office. It is being a part of an important company in Nordic countries and my work matters for our colleagues and clients. I am proud that even if I do not have any banking experience or financial education, I was still welcomed to Nordea Estonia and do what I am now good at.

I also enjoy working with my team. All of them are always in a good mood and we have lots of fun together, it motivates me to come to work every day. I gain more energy from my workday, then leave it there. My team leader is very understanding, and I can play with my schedule between work and school because I am studying Jewellery and Blacksmithing at Estonian Academy of Arts.

We welcome everyone in Nordea Estonia!

Riin, banking investigator

My name is Riin. I started my career in Nordea approximately 2.7 years ago as Sanction Screening Investigator, then I moved to Transaction Monitoring and now I’m working as a Correspondent Banking Investigator.

When I’m not at work, I like to travel and cook. I am an incredibly lucky person because I have been able to travel around the world and have a lot of friends for whom to organize nice dinner parties. I even found my way to Nordea through my best friend. I didn’t have any banking background and onboarding was quite difficult for me at the beginning, but my trainers and colleagues supported me a lot. It made me realize that I’m in the right place.

For me, the team is the most important factor at work, of course besides the fact that I like my work and it motivates me every day. I can say that I am most proud of my achievements in Nordea Estonia. I have grown a lot during my time here.

I think most of my days at work are fun. The brightest one I remember was a few years ago I was Nordea’s Great Place to Work Ambassador. We organized motivation training day for all the GFCP departments and after that all the teams had their own team events. It was a positive experience because everything went as planned and people were happy to get out of the office and do something different and fun.

Urmas, customer production officer

My name is Urmas and I work as a Customer Production Officer in EE Estates & Authorities.

I have many hobbies, like history, guiding and gardening. I like to visit parks and museums in Tallinn, go to my summer cottage as well for maintaining everyday matters, work in the garden, walk around in the vicinity, go for a swim, and have fun with my family.

How did I find my way to Nordea? I placed my resume to one of the job platforms and Nordea contacted me after that.  I soon I started working here and became experienced with my actual tasks, team, and colleagues I felt that it was meant to be … and when I received my first salary as well. 🙂 I come to work every day with a wish to create something useful and of course, I am a man of my word so having duties motivates me to make an effort as well.  I haven’t had a bad day at work which I think says it all about Nordea Estonia.

I can say I’m proud of my employer, team, colleagues and customers of the Nordea bank.  I have a team of people who are laborious, friendly, supportive, joyful, cool … and we have an excellent Team Leader.

My, senior compliance officer

My name is My and I am a senior compliance officer. I am Chinese but grew up in the Netherlands.

In my free time, I like to enjoy walks and bicycle and ski trips in Estonian nature, read books, paint, write, bake, and discover new restaurants. This winter I have spent time in an ice hole!

I felt ready for a new challenge and found out that Nordea Estonia was expanding its AML department and as Nordea is a well-known employer in the Nordics, I decided to try. So, in July 2019 I started working here. I immediately felt like I was welcomed into a family. A few months after my first day I became a Great Place to Work Ambassador in my department and it made me realize how important it is to Nordea that employees feel valued and that our voices are heard and our opinions matter.

I have enjoyed working here so much and have had several highlights. The most memorable is being asked to become the new Country Lead for the GFCP Great Place to Work Ambassadors, my promotion to Chief AML & Sanctions Processing Specialist and my enrollment to the ICA International Advanced Certificate in Anti Money Laundering through Nordea. It shows that Nordea is committed to and supportive of the continuous development of our careers. Nordea Estonia keeps growing and that means ample growth and career opportunities for everyone.

If I think about why I am proud to work at Nordea Estonia, it is the fact that people come to me with questions and for support. For me, it gives a feeling that they think I have the knowledge and empathy to help them. It creates a team spirit that is essential for any company. Also, I love how diverse our team is and we are all working together, sharing knowledge, and supporting each other in various ways. That is how people grow, dream, and make it all happen.