Meet our people

What makes Handelsbanken different from other companies?

For me, it’s the employee empowerment - Handelsbanken believes in its people and trusts them to get the job done. As an employee, I feel that having that sense of responsibility and influence over your daily work really makes you want to do a good job. The culture and work life balance is also really nice.

Describe your career journey at the Bank

I joined Handelsbanken as a Digital Channel Manager for Corporate Online Banking and the Corporate Banking app in September 2021. However, after a few months we decided it was better to split the channels by platform rather than by customer segment, so I then became Digital Channel Manager for Corporate and Individual Online Banking. I really enjoyed this role as my background in digital has mainly been on apps and personal banking so it was great to learn more about Corporate customers and desktop banking as a whole. We then went through the process of agile transformation within the digital team and I assumed the role of Chief Product Manager within the DIMO train, responsible for overseeing and driving the execution of our digital channel vision. I was then promoted to Senior Digital Channel Manager in December 2022 and this role evolved into the Head of Digital Product – Web and App role where I now look after the Digital Product Owners and Digital Channel Analysts within my team. 

What do you look forward to most each day?

The fact that no two days are really the same – while we’re in the midst of an extremely packed digital delivery schedule, there is always a lot to be doing and plenty of things going on. Also the people – I’m lucky to work alongside great colleagues and I genuinely look forward to interacting with them throughout the work day.

In your role, how do you help make customers feel satisfied?

My team’s goal is to replicate the great service our customers get from our branches on our online and mobile banking channels. We use customer feedback and complaints data to help shape our digital deliveries, which is key to ensuring our channels meet our customer’s needs. I’m really passionate about digital user experience and I think improving this will have a substantial impact on customer satisfaction. 

What makes Handelsbanken different from other banks?

In one word, culture. We have a deep-seated decentralised culture in the Bank that really sets us apart in the market place. My customers know when they are speaking to me, they are speaking to the decision-maker who is not target-based or incentivised with bonuses -  that is a really powerful message.

Describe your career journey at the Bank

I joined the Bank on its Summer Internship in 2016 and spent two months in the Manchester Spinningfields branch. I knew it was for me from day one so when a full-time job opportunity in the Regional Business Support Team came available I was delighted to apply. I spent 18 months travelling between the regions 32 branches, helping new and existing business customers with their cash management needs. I then moved to our Stockport branch to take on an Account Manager Support role before transitioning to become a Developing Corporate Manager. Four years ago I moved back to our Manchester Spinningfields branch to take up the position of Private Banking Manager. During this time I have gained Chartered Banking and CeMAP qualifications supported by the Bank. I have also been involved with the region's Future Accelerated Succession Talent (FAST) programme, where by a group of young employees at the Bank had regular 'sessions' with the head of our region and provided reverse mentoring to the regions Senior Leadership team.

What do you look forward to most each day?

Telling the Handelsbanken story. I really do enjoy explaining the history of Handelsbanken, how we operate and why we are different. I especially enjoy speaking to prospective customers who have not heard of the Bank and show a genuine interest in our unique culture. 

In your role, how do you help make customers feel satisfied?

I work with my customers in a similar way that their long-term accountants and lawyers do, with the aim of becoming their trusted advisor. When your customers know you are the decision-maker and they know you truly understand how they operate, what their long-term plans are and how as a Bank we can help them, it naturally leads to satisfied customers.

What makes Handelsbanken different from other banks?

It has a decentralised model which is encapsulated by our motto the 'branch is the bank' to our customers, thus the branch has greater control over the decisions it makes.

In a branch-based role you have closer interactions with customers and they know you by name. They can also be confident that all the branch staff know them too.  

Describe you career journey at the Bank

My first role in the Bank was that of Account Manager Support, dealing with administrative processes for a wide range of transactions for both Corporate and Individual Banking customers. 

After two years, I undertook a six month secondment to our Compliance team, following which I became a Compliance Officer. This is the ideal role for me and I've now been in position for six years.

What does a typical working day look like for you?

The Compliance team has a broad range of regulatory monitoring activities to undertake, which include: monitoring adherence to the complaints handling process, branch visits to test the regulatory knowledge of employees; file checks and reviewing conflicts of interest. So, there’s no such thing as a typical working day!

What do you look forwards to most each day?

Interacting with my colleagues – I especially enjoy the camaraderie within my team!

In your role, how do you help make customers feel satisfied?

My current role doesn’t have direct customer contact, however I do influence customer satisfaction by providing support and guidance to my colleagues. By always thinking about the customer impact and trying to put ourselves in the position of the customer we can achieve fair customer outcomes. This in turn leads to satisfied customers.

What makes Handelsbanken different from other banks?

Whilst the obvious answer has to be the decentralised model, and to a large extent this is true, on a practical level for me, this exhibits itself on a daily basis through the respect and empowerment you are given by everyone in the organisation. Short lines of communication mean you often hear from, and indeed are given the opportunity to speak to, the senior leaders in the organisation, who you genuinely feel are also wholly invested in our common goals and preservation of our culture. 

Describe your career journey at the Bank

I joined the Bank in 2015 as a Corporate Banking manager in Halifax. During my two years there I was given several personal development opportunities, the most significant of which was participation in the Bank's Potential Leaders Programme. In 2017 I became Branch Manager in our Bradford branch; and two years later I was doing the same role in Halifax too. June 2020 saw my last branch move to Leeds city centre, before taking on my current role which sees me supporting our customers and branches through other channels in the Bank.

What do you look forward to most each day?

Interactions with my team to find the best ways to meet our evolving customers' demands. The role I now have offers a huge amount of variety and personal stretch, from conversations around making internal processes and systems more efficient, to working colleagues across the Bank to enhance our other customer engagement on new digital solutions.

In your role, how do you help make customers feel satisfied?

By ensuring all my team understand and share the values outlined in our book on corporate culture, 'Our Way'. Importantly it's making sure each team member understands the specific role they play in delivering those values when dealing with customers and the branches we support. I endeavour to keep the customer at the centre of the decisions I make. I listen and learn from feedback, ensuring the support customers receive from my team is consistent and results in first-class service.

What makes Handelsbanken different from other banks?

The level of autonomy we have and the time and freedom it gives you to not only make the right decision but understand why you’re making that decision. The roles here are much ‘bigger’ than other banks but you learn a lot more and have a deeper understanding. 

What does a typical day look like?

The primary purpose of the credit team is to maintain good credit order which can be achieved in so many different ways, so there really is no typical day. Much of my role involves analytical work however I also spend time meeting with branches either virtually or face to face, delivering training and coaching, reviewing decisions and providing feedback.  

What do you look forward to most each day?

Speaking with my colleagues. I work on a really great team, they’re hugely experienced and very supportive. 

In your role how do you help make customers feel satisfied?

My role doesn’t involve direct customer contact however I see the branches I work with as my customers. The best way to make any customer feel satisfied is to build a strong relationship based on openness and honesty. It also helps if you can have a bit of fun along the way!

What makes Handelsbanken different from other banks?

Handelsbanken is incredibly different to high street banks. From a customer perspective, they deal with the decision-maker. Customers have direct lines into branches and know the branch staff. New customers are always surprised when you answer your own phone and recognise them by voice! We develop long-term relationships with customers where we are able to act as a trusted advisor.   

Describe your career journey at the Bank

At Handelsbanken, it is your responsibility to drive your own career and your own development. I have worked in all roles within the branch and each is equally important in providing excellent customer service to our customers. Recently, I was successfully appointed as Branch Manager at Chester. I’m incredibly honoured and proud to have built my career at Handelsbanken and couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.

What do you look forward to most each day?

Brightening someone’s day – whether I can assist a colleague with their development, contribute towards someone’s mental health and well-being or can offer trusted advice to a customer, I know that I have done a good day's work. 

In your role, how do you help make customers feel satisfied?

It’s simple – we are open and honest with the advice we give and we keep our promises!

Describe your career journey at the Bank?

It has certainly been a journey, starting out as a junior infrastructure technician with only three branches, I have seen the Bank grow exponentially in terms of both branches and employees. During my time at the Bank I have held the role of senior infrastructure engineer, infrastructure team leader and am now currently the IT Operations Manager as well as major incident manager.

What does a typical working day look like for you? 

I am sure most people's days are very similar, lots of planning, co-ordinating, activities, meetings and emails. The role is fast-paced and at times you have to wear many different hats depending on the nature of the work or activity at hand. I try to remain in a ready and available mode as much as possible for both the team and demands of the business.

What do you look forward to most each day?

I am extremely lucky to be able to say that I have some great colleagues that I work alongside and these people make a real difference. I would also say the satisfaction that I have done a good job and in some shape or form made a difference to something or someone.

In your role, how do you help make customers feel satisfied? 

As a service department we try our utmost to provide a good robust service for our staff. At times we appreciate that we may not always get this right. As part of our continued service improvement we always work with our colleagues and continue to learn and grow from all experiences.

What makes Handelsbanken different from other banks?

At Handelsbanken, whatever your role in the Bank, your primary focus is the customer. There is no pressure of a sales target, simply a brief to do the right thing and at the same time help the Bank increase its profitability, whilst offering outstanding customer service. This results in long-term mutually beneficial relationships and is confirmed by our customers year-on-year in various external surveys. 

Describe your career journey at the Bank

I joined Handelsbanken as a Cash Management Specialist, having spent eight years at a high street bank. After three years helping to establish this new team across the Central region, I became a Corporate Banking Manager in our Derby branch, where I was responsible for a portfolio of both trading and property investment businesses. For the first time I had my own lending discretion, allowing me to make my own decisions for my customers, whilst operating within the Bank's credit policy. After three years in the role, I wanted to develop my credit analysis skills further and so moved on to a role in our credit department as a Credit Analyst. This was fantastic and allowed me the opportunity to hone those credit skills to ensure that I contributed to our bank maintaining its legacy of having one of the lowest loan loss ratios of all banks. I spent two years in this role but had always been keen in becoming a leader within Handelsbanken and so took an opportunity to become the Deputy Branch Manager in our Coventry branch. This involved supporting the Branch Manager with leading the branch, both operationally but also from a line management perspective. I was able to develop my own leadership style and learn how to successfully run a Handelsbanken branch, with all that it entails. After a relatively short period of time I was successful in moving into my current role as Branch Manager at Solihull branch, where I lead a team of nine staff in a branch that has been in situ for over 10 years. 

What does a typical working day look like for you?

I am learning quickly that there is no typical day as a Branch Manager at Handelsbanken, the role is so varied. Given the decentralised nature of our bank I have complete responsibility for the management and performance of our branch, our business and this encompasses a wide variety of responsibilities, differing in nature. I spend time in customer meetings supporting my Account Managers, meeting local professionals, reviewing credit applications, having 1:1’s with my team and ensuring that we remain operationally efficient. Ultimately, I am here to create an environment where my team can thrive and they have complete clarity as to what the vision is for our branch, in growing our business and supporting our customers, offering first class customer service.

What do you look forward to most each day?

With such a long period of time where the team were not able to work together in one location and meet face to face, quite simply I look forward each day to being in the branch and in and around the people I work with. We value those small things so much more now, a quick chat over the desk, a team meeting where we can set out our business plan for the year, a fika where we can sit and talk socially over a cup of coffee and a slice of cake. But most importantly, the opportunity to see our customers face to face again.

What makes Handelsbanken different from other banks?

It lies in our culture and the way we do things. Handelsbanken is a local relationship bank with a focus on satisfying customers, tailored service, financial strength and sustainable values. Delivering customer satisfaction is our top priority. As a decentralised bank we achieve this by getting to know our customers, the community and the local markets in which we operate.

Describe your career journey at the Bank

I started my journey in Handelsbanken in 2019 as an Assistant Banking Manager (ABM) intern, which gave me an in-depth insight into Handelsbanken culture, values and how it maintains relationships. Determined to proactively look for a vacancy within the Bank, I succeeded in securing a role as a Screening Analyst, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. In this role I performed screening checks for new customers, to ensure compliance with regulatory best practice. I then moved to our Staff Branch North as an ABM with the aim to work closer with our customers.

What do you look forward to most each day?

The sense of value and empowerment is what I look forward to most each day. Handelsbanken’s culture is a culture where each individual’s efforts are recognised and appreciated, and where employees are encouraged and trusted to take responsibility in our daily tasks. The feeling of contributing positively and effectively to my team encourages me to take great pride in the quality of my work.

In your role, how do you help make customers feel satisfied?

By supporting the branch in increasing customer satisfaction levels and by delivering first class service whilst ensuring all regulatory requirements are adhered to. As an ABM my main responsibility is to deliver comprehensive support across the branch by delivering proactive solutions and administrative duties. Maintaining regular contact with our customers is also crucial in my role as it is vital to develop solid relationships - I achieve this by answering any queries they may have and ensuring they always receive the support they need.