Come for the atmosphere, stay for the growth opportunities

After many years in Risk roles within Trade Credit Insurance, I recently made the leap to a role as Risk Director in surety. Some key elements played into my decision to transfer into surety, but the factor that sealed the deal was the department’s ambition to grow, and the ability to do so.

My new role provides a privileged combination: close collaboration between team members, strategy and growth, and an ability to make positive progress that keeps everyone motivated. I couldn’t be happier with my team and my clients since moving into surety with Allianz Trade.

I’ve been working for Allianz Trade (previously Euler Hermes) for almost 17 years with a five-year interlude.

My specialization was in Trade Credit Insurance but, while working in the Group Headquarters in Paris, I was offered a great opportunity to transfer to surety. Not only could this expand my horizons and deepen my knowledge, but it allowed me to move back to my native Netherlands. I guess you could say I returned for the atmosphere, and I stayed for the growth opportunity.

I received a lot of support with a well-arranged transfer that made for a smooth return. That’s one of the nice things here: the company culture is the same across departments too, so it makes for an easier transition.

There are a lot of things I really appreciate about working in surety, but most of all it’s the close client relationships and the chance to work with a smaller team. I’m able to interact with and influence CEO and CFO level decision makers. As you can imagine, it requires building a strong relationship and taking a lot of personal responsibility, which I like.

The higher level of client interaction means I gain local knowledge on specific trade sectors or common economic circumstances. Equally, seeing best practices within other companies and other lines of business is also a source of inspiration. The highly specialized nature of surety means there is a sense of having a direct impact and insight into the client’s lifecycle. Finally, the Benelux team has a great dynamic, which was an important factor that influenced my decision to make the move.

I’m pleased to say we’ve already achieved a big success: we integrated the teams from Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands during the pandemic. I have to admit I’m quite proud that we were able to grow our portfolio during such difficult times. We ultimately took on risks without any losses in our client portfolio, and this puts us in a strong position for this year, too. Being able to experience early success in a growing business area makes me feel optimistic about what’s in store for the future. I think joining surety at this critical time of expansion is enabling me to grow alongside this specialized area and advance my career.

Going forward, I’m hoping to diversify and grow client sources, and expand with the right support in place to do so. With the new energy present in surety and a close-knit team dynamic, I’m confident we can continue to help our clients succeed in their projects.