Being part of something bigger - meet Ebba

by Ebba Thörnblad

Hi Ebba, you are a Graduate in Nordea’s Risk function and we are eager to hear about your journey in Nordea and in the Graduate Programme. Could you start but telling us bit more about you?

I’m an engineer who graduated from Linköping University last summer, where I studied Industrial Engineering and Management with a Master’s in Finance. Now I am back in Stockholm, based at the Nordea headquarters in Kungsträdgården, and working as a Quantitative Risk Analyst. I would describe myself as an outgoing and driven person who likes to spend time with family and friends.  

Why did you apply to the Nordea Graduate Programme?

There were many reasons why I applied to Nordea's Graduate Programme. Of course, one of the perks of being in a graduate programme is that you can try out different positions. This is great if you’re like me and are not sure which position is the best fit for you. As a graduate, I am able to explore areas that I might not have considered otherwise, and since Nordea is such a large company, the possibilities are really endless. In addition the programme offers a lot of self-development and knowledge-sharing activities, which I find very beneficial now that I’m at the beginning of my career. 

What are the best things about your job and the programme – and what do you do?

The greatest thing about the programme so far has been getting to know the other graduates and colleagues at Nordea. If you want to network, there is no better place to start your career than here in the graduate programme. It has really steepened my learning curve too, as understanding various functions of the bank and our stakeholder's needs have been crucial for me to contribute and succeed. Socialising with people from other business areas has helped me to gain that knowledge much faster. 

What I like most about my current position is the variety of tasks and the balance between quantitative and qualitative work, since I enjoy working with numbers as well as with people. In this role I can do both as I’m dividing my time between programming, analysing numbers, having meetings with stakeholders and grabbing coffee with colleagues.

As for what I do, I am part of the Credit Risk Stress Testing & Simulation team where we stress test Nordea's credit portfolio. In simple terms, we project how different macroeconomic scenarios affect risk metrics and ultimately how that affects the capital requirements of the bank. This area is especially interesting in today’s economy, now that we are experiencing more severe market conditions than previously. 

What triggers and motivates you the most?

An important driver for me is the feeling of being part of something bigger and contributing to a better society, which is why I enjoy working at Nordea. As the leading bank in the Nordics, Nordea plays a big part in keeping the financial system stable, which in the end affects the quality of life of the people living here. Another thing that motivates me is the opportunity to tackle difficult problems, and the complex banking industry offers many such challenges.

With the experience you have now, what are your words of wisdom for young professionals?

It is perfectly okay not to know what you want to work with in the future. At a big company such as Nordea, the possibilities are limitless and no matter which positions you try out before finding your dream job, the experiences on the way will help you grow professionally and personally. I think a lot of young professionals nowadays are trying to advance as soon as they enter the job market and they end up on a career path that they are not passionate about. In my view, the people who enjoy what they’re doing will have more successful and fulfilling careers.

Any last piece of advice to people who may be considering starting their career in the Nordea Graduate Programme?

My only recommendation would be to apply and go for it!