Kintija Šulte
Risk Controller, Life and Asset Management Risk Oversight team, SEB Global Services
It’s always important to look for opportunities how we can be more efficient, that’s why communication, attention to detail and a willingness to develop are so crucial
Kintija Šulte has worked at SEB since 2021 and she is a part of the Group Risk department at SEB Global Services centre in Riga, where she works alongside 40 other colleagues. Her team consists of four teammates plus the manager, and they have a great working space in Teika on the fifth floor of GUSTAVS, the brand-new office building that overlooks VEF Culture Palace. She started at SEB as a Junior Risk Controller and in less than two years she has already been promoted to Risk Controller.
Tell us more about your team and daily tasks.
The Life and Asset Management Risk Oversight team’s main purpose is to ensure that the Bank upholds its commitments to customers and to protect their assets. We ensure that the clients investment portfolios adhere to the terms specified in their agreements. On a daily basis, we oversee investment restrictions which the client has agreed to with the bank and our goal is to ensure that these requirements are met to avoid potential risks. The main tasks include interpretation of investment guidelines and independent risk control implementation, oversight and reporting. Every day we work with colleagues from Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Baltics and other countries – the work environment is very multicultural.
How did your journey at SEB begin?
During my bachelor’s degree, I was studying in the “Risk management and insurance” programme and I was very interested to get into the risk field. I had studied this field in lectures and presentations from different companies, but I also wanted to gain practical experience to better understand how risk management happens in the business world. That’s why when I was studying, I tried to find a job in this field. During the summer before my final year of studies, I saw an advertisement about a vacancy in risk management at SEB and so I did not hesitate to apply.
Tell us more about your team.
We are a small team and each one of us has different interests, characteristics, and strong suits. We work not only with systems and data – we also need to read a lot and interpret documents, and it’s always important to look for opportunities how we can be more efficient, that’s why communication, attention to detail and a willingness to develop are so crucial. We use every colleagues’ strong suits and always think about how we can use each other’s knowledge to improve existing processes.
In the team and during conversations with our manager we are very open, and I really appreciate that. My manager gives me valuable feedback and that encourages me to express my thoughts to others – I see a real value in these conversations. I certainly need to mention my manager – she is really great, she always encourages me to learn and gain new skills, and gives me suggestions about development opportunities, as well as makes sure that the tasks and workload are balanced and can be done in the set deadlines. For example, a year ago, my manager advised me to sign up for the SEB employee scholarship programme, where in the end I received financial support, which partially covered the tuition fees for my master’s degree. In autumn, with the help of my manager, I found out about a programming course in RTU/RBS and Harvard University – I also managed to seize this opportunity. I appreciate that SEB offers also free learning opportunities in platforms such as SEB Campus, Coursera and Pluralsight.
In the future I see myself at SEB because there are development opportunities in different directions – I see where I could grow within my department, but it’s also nice to know that I have opportunities outside of it as well and that internal mobility within SEB is encouraged.
How do you like the new office in Teika?
I really like the open concept because it helps to cooperate with colleagues from different teams. In addition – the beautifully decorated coffee corners in the office encourage colleagues to bond and not only devote time to working, but also getting to know each other over a cup of coffee or tea. There is a nice and inspiring environment in the office and to me that is very important.
I appreciate that in this building there is something for everyone – a large and multifunctional kitchen, every floor has coffee corners, there is a free gym, parent rooms which are useful for colleagues with kids, as well as game rooms where you can spend time playing games with colleagues. I really like that finally we are all under the same roof, I think that builds a sense of belonging and community.
What can you expect from joining your team?
You can expect that your professional development will be supported, and I believe that it is that way not only in my team, but in general at SEB. You will be responsible for how your day to day looks like. We have tasks that we need to do every day and there are tasks that need to be done quarterly or during the whole year so it’s important to understand priorities and plan your time. There will be peaceful and dynamic days – you have to be ready for both. Lastly, it is important to be open, express your wishes and career goals and I believe that solutions will be found to help achieve those goals.
