Christian, Transaction Manager, Corporate Sector Lending

How does the perfect day start for you?

As a former Münster resident, of course, by bike, under a blue sky over the Frankfurt skyline towards the ING headquarters.

What does your day-to-day work look like?

I spend the majority of my time working on credit transactions for large corporate clients, particularly in the German automotive industry. These start with the internal credit review, in which the analysis of the most recent annual financial statements leads to an initial assessment of creditworthiness and a rating.

Of even greater importance for the subsequent credit decision - especially in light of the current transformation of the automotive industry - is the assessment of the future prospects of the business model and the expected development of cash flows and relevant key figures in this phase. To this end, we create financial models that forecast future economic development in various scenarios. The assessment of sustainability factors is also becoming increasingly important; we analyze the fulfillment of certain ESG factors in every transaction; the "E" stands for "Environmental", the "S" for "Social" and the "G" for "Governance". Ideally, the transaction is successfully concluded following a positive internal credit decision and subsequent contract negotiations.

What happens after that?

After the contract is signed, we regularly analyze compliance with or deviations from the company's forecast economic development in Corporate Sector Lending. To this end, we examine the companies' quarterly figures, which in many cases are discussed with the company's management. In this way, we stay "close to the ball" and can take appropriate measures in the event of unexpected negative developments - or, in the positive case, discuss the possible expansion of our credit exposure with the customer.

Describe your job in three words

Diverse, analytical, demanding.

What do you think defines the working culture at ING?

ING is an extraordinarily dynamic, modern and internationally positioned bank, which is reflected in the working culture on a daily basis. In flat hierarchies, employees are not expected to work by the book, but to proactively contribute to the successful further development of the bank. "Do your thing!" is ING's global motto, which gives employees freedom and encourages them to do more of what moves them. The motivation and therefore the commitment in ING's Wholesale Banking teams is extremely high.

What is special about Corporate Sector Lending?

From a content perspective, we at CSL are very close to the pulse of the economy thanks to our regular, direct client contacts. In most cases, we work on transactions for clients who operate globally and are highly relevant in their markets. That makes the job very interesting for me.

Culturally, our Corporate Sector Lending unit in Frankfurt is characterized by a strong team spirit and a healthy mix of juniors and seniors. This is particularly noticeable in our very well-booked jobs at the bank, without having to discuss mandatory attendance or quotas. On the contrary: with its hybrid working model, the bank offers maximum flexibility in terms of mobile working, which I am also happy to make use of. But it's the mix that makes the difference - in my opinion, a lively presence culture is particularly important for juniors and new employees. For me personally, it makes work a lot of fun.

You spent three years at ING and recently returned to us. What was the main reason for this?

Above all, it was the exceptionally positive corporate culture described above that persuaded me to become a "Boomerang employee". At ING, great value is placed on good cooperation. Colleagues have their own drive to work together and sometimes even spend their free time together. A good example of this was the Wholesale Banking ski event in January, where more than 50 colleagues, from trainees to the Management Board, spent great days together in Austria. The Bank's numerous internal events not only promote direct team spirit, but also cooperation between the teams in their daily work.

What motivates you in your work?

"Nothing is more exciting than business" used to be the slogan of WirtschaftsWoche - I agree.

What drives you in life besides your job? What are you passionate about?

Above all, I love to travel and am enthusiastic about seeing football matches in the stadium, whether it's the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund in Madrid or the fourth division in Ahlen.

Can you tell us one more personal fact about yourself?

Unbeaten at the table tennis table in the bank's new Fun Area ;-)