Yvonne graduated from the University of Warwick with a BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance and joined Deutsche Bank in September 2014 as a Graduate Analyst in Group Audit
Why did you pick Deutsche Bank?
I was attracted by the importance of cultural change that is heavily emphasized by Deutsche Bank. I am impressed by the initiatives undertaken to promote their values and beliefs in guiding the behaviour when dealing with clients, stakeholders, amongst ourselves, and the community around us.
Not only that, I would have to give credit to the people. Colleagues and stakeholders that I have engaged with during my internship and graduate programme have made every interaction, an educational experience. I am still in awe with the investment of time and support from the people, which attracted me most to work with Deutsche Bank.
What skills or experiences at university best prepared you for your career at Deutsche Bank?
Definitely being more tech savvy. I use technology in my everyday work to be much more efficient. I am able to minimize the amount of manual processes I do which definitely heightens productivity levels. Constantly seeking innovation is another skill that has allowed me to upskill my work deliverables. It has helped establish myself to become an integrated auditor with good use of technology and business audit skills.
Having an inquisitive mind and passion for problem solving is something I strongly believe is one of the best ways to build on more knowledge. Being able to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds while at university helped to improve my interpersonal skills when working with an international organization.
Lastly, the degree course offered by the University of Warwick touches upon many aspects including pitching a business proposal, corporate strategy and reporting to project management. This allowed me to gain a wide set of skills that has proven useful.
What has surprised you about your role or the firm since joining?
I've realized at times that it's okay to not know everything. Everyone (be it senior or junior) is willing to help. There have been multiple occasions when I have raised my hand and admitted I don't know the answer or even understand a particular subject. However, the key thing is to have a thirst for knowledge and to always strive and be enthusiastic to learn more. It has been such a supportive learning environment since joining Deutsche Bank. Regardless of what position and job title, everyone has learnt from one another, which has no doubt made my experience here great and engaging.
The culture is an open and supportive working environment
How would you describe the culture and working environment?
The culture is an open and supportive working environment. I never felt it was not okay to approach someone of a higher level for feedback or even just a general enquiry. Management adopts the “Open Door” policy which has indeed made engagement and communication across all levels more effective. There is indeed a great support and development culture at Deutsche Bank.
Tell us about an average day at Deutsche Bank?
It is difficult to describe a typical working day as it depends if there is an audit ongoing or what stage of the audit we are in, and not forgetting potential ad hoc requests. This is what makes audit interesting, so you need to be flexible in order to adapt quickly to changes.
What is your current role like?
Internal audit enables me to build a strong foundation in the business from the way I am able to learn to understand the area through a different lens. By building on business knowledge, I have been engaging with people from all levels and different backgrounds, thus having the opportunity to build good rapport with a variety of individuals.
Not only that, the scope of the audit work can vary in size, and as a team player I really value working together on various projects.
Being able to deal with people from different backgrounds and seniority and to be delegated responsibilities of all sorts is another interesting aspect of my role. Everyone is given the potential and opportunity to do something they might not otherwise think they could. If you are willing to work hard, there is nothing stopping you from doing it, which has definitely helped me to grow.
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