A solid foundation
with modern agile
approach

Poļina Ribakova

Manager of Operational Risk and Compliance team and AML Post-Transaction Monitoring team, as well as Riga Tech site manager at SEB Group business services centre in Riga

Education: Master of Business Administration, University of Latvia and Steinbeis University Berlin
Personal interests: Taking walks by the sea and child development

How long are you with SEB?

I joined two and a half years ago to lead the team which supports different IT systems in Risk & Compliance area. After a while I was given the opportunity to lead also the Reconciliation & Investigation team as well. Now I am responsible for two teams and 19 employees.

Before joining SEB I spent 12 years in another Nordic bank. Initially I started as a credit specialist, then I worked a short while in HR area, and after that I spent nearly 10 years in project management where I dealt with projects focussed on introducing new regulatory requirements in areas such as data protection, financial markets and anti-money laundering.

Your teams have such complex titles. Can you explain in simple terms what their responsibilities are?

Basically, we are IT experts, and our job is to maintain and develop a range of IT systems in different areas of the bank. For instance, AML Post-transaction monitoring team is responsible for supporting and developing our IT systems which ensure the process of AML monitoring in other organizations within SEB group across the globe.

Operational Risk, Regulatory Compliance and Reconciliation team also maintains multiple IT systems, provides user support and develops new functionalities.

What do you like best about your job?

I like working with people and I like to help them develop and grow. I am really proud to see how far many of my colleagues have gone in broadening their knowledge and competencies, and consistently exceeding expectations. It gives me a lot of joy to support them in this journey.

What are the things that give you motivation in your job?

For me, it is very important that the values of my employer match with my own.

I am a firm believer that people are at the heart of everything we do. We have to support them and help them to develop, create an environment which encourages learning, and appreciate their achievements.

I like the opportunities for growth and education that are available to us through Coursera, Campus and other platforms at SEB. Transparent decision-making is also important, and work-life balance matters to me as I have a small child.

I also appreciate the fact that I have very supportive managers in Sweden with whom I can openly discuss all issues and find solutions.

In which areas would you like to develop?

I would like to be more involved in strategic planning of SEB Technology division. I have no doubt that we can expand our services in Latvia and do more, and I can contribute towards making it happen.

In SEB’s Technology division we are doing exciting things and working with interesting projects, and I want to help in building our image as a tech company, not just a bank. I also want to do more to encourage girls to go into IT.

What do like to do outside work?

I like to take walks by the sea because it restores my energy. I may appear as an extrovert on the surface, but I am actually a secret introvert. I need my time alone, I need silence and piece.

If I can’t be near sea, I go for walks in the forest, which is convenient because I live next to a beautiful forest. My passion is child development, which became sort of a hobby after my child was born. I could even give classes on development of baby’s small motor skills, Montessori methodology and many other subjects related to early development of the child.

Zane Meņģelsone

Business developer, Customer data and Digital development department

How did you start working at SEB?

When I was 16, my mother brought me my first junior payment card, which happened to be a SEB banka card. I thought – if I could work in a bank one day! Sometime later I submitted my CV specifically to SEB banka and after a while, I ended up in the card department. The idea of working for a bank must have been strong enough. This year I can look back on my 16 years of experience at SEB banka where I started as a customer service specialist, which helped me to get to know and profoundly understand the customers’ needs. Now, when developing new products or solutions, this is very useful. I can look from a customer’s perspective at how customers will take this or that innovation. This experience was very valuable.

What does it mean to work as a business developer?

The team I work for is in charge of the bank’s core system, which is maintained by the bank’s customer service specialists. On a day-to-day basis, this means that I provide support in using the system. My tasks include testing solutions, setting up new projects, and writing queries to colleagues at IT and regular meetings. For example, in our morning meetings - stand-ups as we call them - we test ideas, and new approaches and discuss problems together. Here you can feel how important it is for people of different generations and backgrounds to work together. I would like to add that my work is never routine – no two days are alike. 

What advice would you give to those thinking of working for a bank?

I have always recommended SEB banka as a place to work - also for young adults and trainees. Firstly, because of the variety of experiences you can have here. Secondly, because of an emotionally safe and pleasant working environment with supportive colleagues, which is especially important at the beginning of your career. For this reason, I think SEB is a great employer that offers a wide range of development opportunities. This is mainly thanks to the bank’s management, which encourages and supports its colleagues. I have experienced this support myself - the managers listen to my advice and have helped me grow both professionally and as a person. I should also mention the important, cool feeling of being appreciated and having your work valued.

Why should you try your hand at technology and IT?

Because this is an area of infinite potential - new technological possibilities and new needs are emerging all the time. This creates a constant challenge and opportunities to always offer something new. And this great demand means good growth opportunities for young professionals. The importance of an open team that welcomes new colleagues on the one hand and prevents experienced staff from getting “stuck” on the other. 

IT and technology are about innovation. How does this manifest itself in your daily life?

Innovation is a broad term in our work because it implies something qualitatively new and unprecedented. A bank is like a big ship – a gust of wind will not rock it, it is stable. However, when a new need or proposal is ripe enough and the “ship” is headed for a new course, it is very thorough. For us, it is important to be convenient and accessible for our customers, so innovation is an integral part of our daily routine. The Bank has an Innovation Centre [established in Latvia in 2018, there are similar centres in Lithuania and Estonia] where experts from different areas work to identify the latest changes and “capture” ideas that could be turned into solutions that people need. 

What encourages you most in the innovation process?

I have always focused on the customer and on providing the most convenient and useful service possible. Putting the customer’s needs first is the best encouragement to make decisions and launch new things. Simply then you know that this is something that is necessary.

What would you say is the most valuable innovation of your team?

I have been working in this team for less than a year, and the most striking of our innovations are the so-called paperless branches that are being rolled out across the Baltic. This means that we do away with all printouts in our customer service: all documents, their circulation, and storage are digitised. What cannot be done remotely can be done in our branches, where we offer customers the possibility to sign documents on a tablet. This is a project towards sustainability, which is very important to SEB banka in all its activities.

Does working for a bank make you feel useful to the wider society?

Sure. The above-mentioned project is just that. On the one hand, we are reducing paper consumption, and on the other, we are setting an example for our customers. We also encourage them to think and act sustainably. Therefore, this is one of those projects where you feel you are having an impact on society. That is very satisfying, that is the added value of this work.

If you had to name three reasons to work at SEB, what would they be?

First, a safe and stable working environment. Secondly, opportunities to develop and grow - if you are willing to learn and do more. My first job at the bank was in customer service, then in cards, then in business development. There are many offers; you just have to be willing to take them. I would like to point out that each of these positions has given me a tremendous amount of input and motivation and has actually given me new energy for the next phase of my work. It’s like changing jobs without changing jobs, which prevents you from falling into a routine and falling asleep in your current position. The third important point is the international experience because we work in all the Baltic countries.

Are you proud of your employer?

Yes. And there are several reasons for this - the sustainability aspect, which is particularly important for our bank, the employer’s support for employees, and the broader responsibility towards society. For example, when the Russian invasion of Ukraine started, we got an extra day off to volunteer. SEB’s investment in the training of its employees is another manifestation of this. For example, as part of a competition launched by the bank to co-finance five or six employees to study for a second bachelor’s or master’s degree, I received funding for a master’s degree, which was a very motivating and useful bonus.

Find your new job at SEB Bank