Whenever SEB customers wish to do something with fixed income instruments, for example, purchasing or issuing bonds, Monta’s team in Riga is always involved in making it happen. “Fixed Income is a specific, but very interesting area. My job is to look for opportunities to improve speed and efficiency of our processes, and innovate,” says Monta.
Tell us about your journey in SEB!
I joined SEB three and a half years ago. I had a friend who was already working in SEB, and she suggested that it would be a good place for me as well. Banking is an interesting industry and SEB is a well-known, stable company with a reputation as a good employer.
So I came in for an interview, and I got a position as Operations Specialist in Fixed Income area. I spent three years in that role, and then I moved on to my current role as a Process Area Specialist.
I know that a lot of my colleagues have joined SEB because somebody who was already an employee invited them to apply for a position. Nobody would recommend a bad employer to their friends, right? And I think it’s fun to work together with your friends.
Monta Vizule
Title: Process Area Specialist in Fixed Income Trade Support at SEB Group’s business services centre in Riga
Education: Master’s degree in International Finance, RISEBA
Personal interests: Being outdoors and taking long walks
Did you have any previous experience with fixed income products before you joined?
None. The first time somebody explained to me what fixed income instruments are, was during my job interview. The manager explained that they will teach me everything I need to know, and the only thing I need to have to be able to join is willingness to learn.
Tell us about your responsibilities!
Our team consists of 10 people, and my job is to support and help them with their tasks, looking for opportunities to improve the reliability and efficiency of our processes. I am also responsible for training the new colleagues and other team members.
The daily work of our team requires using a lot of different IT systems. Of course, they are changing all the time, and one of my tasks is to test the new features and functions before we can start using them. Basically, whenever some new process, new IT system or anything else new arrives in our area, it has to go through my hands first.
What do you like best about your work?
My work is dynamic and each day is different. A lot of my tasks require me to go into a specific issue and analyse it, and it is something I like doing.
I am with SEB for three and a half years, and still I see that there are a lot of things I can learn. We have a lot of opportunities for horizontal career growth, and in SEB I have always had a feeling that I am moving forward and developing myself.
What motivates you and gives you energy?
To me, motivation is something that comes from within you. I have to collaborate a lot with colleagues from other departments and I have partners in all places where SEB is present – Stockholm, Helsinki, New York, London and elsewhere.
I have the opportunity to be a part of larger projects, and this is an opportunity for me to see the bigger picture. It gives me inspiration. Of course, support from my manager is very important, and I appreciate that I do have a say in setting my performance targets.
What are your ambitions for the future?
If I had to choose between managing people or processes, at the moment I would pick the latter. I still have many things to learn in the Fixed Income area.
I think that gaining deeper knowledge in one area is better than superficial understanding of many things.
Possible directions for my future could be process-oriented roles with a wider area or responsibilities such as Business Analyst or Global Process Expert.
Can you please reveal what are your hobbies?
I like to travel. I enjoy it even now, when my trips are to nearby places such as nature trails, seaside or forest. I like being in the nature, taking long walks and in general being outside the four walls and outside Riga.
