Networking with a purpose: Hilde Malyster shares her leadership journey

It’s been quite a journey. Allianz Trade was my first employer and, 34 years later, I’m still here! I started as a Claims and Collections Officer in my native Belgium before transitioning to an international project management role in 2001.

After six years in that position – splitting my time between Belgium and the Netherlands – I was asked to join the team developing the Multinationals product and service offer in Paris. Although it was outside my comfort zone at the time, management encouraged me to stay on in Paris as Global Head of Policy Administration to set up a policy management system.

That turned out to be a turning point in my career path. From then on, I started moving steadily in the operations direction. I held various positions in both Belgium and Paris, including Regional Head of Collections and Global Project Lead for HR Talent Management, before taking on my current role in June 2023.

We all need a bit of luck in life – and that can mean being in the right place at the right time and seizing these opportunities. But where Allianz Trade really shines is offering its employees the support to try new things and acquire new knowledge when opportunity beckons. I have felt that at every turn in my career. 

I had my first cross-cultural experience in my role in the Netherlands, where I was managing an Information, Risk and Policy (IRP) implementation project. This was formative in helping me understand how to work successfully in a multicultural environment.

Even though we worked on the same products, served the same customers and partners, there were still important differences and sensitivities to be considered when communicating with your colleagues. It was eye opening. And it proved critical to how I learned to build and develop my network, which played a huge role in where I am today.

Networking with purpose is crucial for women who want to advance their careers. This means having a dedicated network that can help you reach the right people about where you want to go, while understanding and working with certain environmental “codes.”  By that I mean: don’t take everything at surface level – try to understand the meaning behind what is being said.

Everyone has a responsibility to develop their own plan for their careers. It’s important to pause and take stock of where you are in your career. And if you’re not happy, reach out to someone who inspires you. This can be anyone, from a mentor or colleague to someone at another company. It all comes back to networks!  

The first time you step into a leadership role it can be quite destabilizing – you don’t necessarily have the right codes yet. I’ve had people say to me, “I’m stepping up into a management role, but I am not sure that the team understands what I do.” My response is to see yourself as a consultant would. What do you think your value is for them? We can build positive relationships right from the start by asking – and answering – the right questions. 

Allianz Trade is going through a huge transformation. This means significant changes in our product offer as we turn more towards e-commerce and other digital offers, especially in the small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) space.

With this comes tremendous opportunity for people across the company. So, take the time to get to know these products and their evolution, as well as how this will impact our support for customers and distribution partners. Be open to these changes and be ready to step up with purpose. It’s important to keep a strategic view and translate that view into your day to day.