”I developed more than I could imagine in such a short time”

Lovisa Ek is a Product Developer at SEB. She started in September 2023 as a Trainee in SEB’s International Trainee Programme.

– I started my role as Product Developer in SEB’s life insurance division at the same time, working approximately 70 percent as Product Developer and participating in the Trainee Programme for the rest of the time that year. SEB has really given me a kick start in my working life. I like that you get a lot of responsibility. Your senior and junior colleagues believe in you and value you in spite of, but also thanks to, the fact that you’re new. 

Tell us about your assignment!

– As a Product Developer, I work with a lot of different initiatives regarding products in my team’s area, which is our risk products, mainly including the health-, sick- and preventive health insurances. It means a lot to work with something that is close to your heart, to help people create security in an uncertain future and promote healthy employees. We drive development initiatives including exploring customer needs, marketing positioning, and market- and competitive analysis among other things. In my role, I get to work with a variety of assignments and people in different roles and positions, contributing to my personal development a lot.

How have you developed so far at SEB?

– During the Trainee Programme and in my role, I developed more than I could imagine in such a short time, thanks to the challenging and supportive culture. It´s comforting to be surrounded by people believing in you. I´ve especially developed in my problem-solving skills, ability to network, and I’ve had the opportunity to practice leadership skills. For instance, for about two weeks we worked in a group to solve a real problem for the bank, and I had the honour to be the team lead. It was educational and good experience to become more comfortable taking a leading role in the future.

Do you have any other examples of how leadership has been emphasized in your development?

– During the Trainee Programme, there was a lot of interaction with senior leaders that was inspirational. We also had the opportunity to do something called reverse mentorship where I as a Trainee got to be a mentor to a senior colleague. We exchanged a lot of thoughts, experiences, and perspectives on certain topics, and it gave me a lot to mentor someone in a leader position. I believe it was very valuable for both of us.

What is the culture like at SEB?

– I would say the culture is very respectful and supportive. Differences and diversity are also promoted as success factors. At SEB we encourage empathic listening and respect for one another so that everyone feels comfortable expressing their thoughts and opinions, which adds more value and fosters innovation. I really enjoy working with my colleagues, and the cooperation contributes to a lot of my development. People listen to each other. Being new, at first I was nervous to share my thoughts, but then I noticed that everyone is genuinely interested in my perspective.