Max Philipsen

Data & Analytics

Internship, traineeship, starter: how Max joined the bank

“When my supervisor asked me after my internship at ABN AMRO's HR department whether I was interested in a data traineeship, I didn't need to think twice. I was studying cognitive neuropsychology at the time and I wanted to gain more work experience. In the eighteen months that followed, I worked in various departments within the bank. And in February, I took up my first permanent position, as a data analyst at Processes & Control within Personal & Business Banking.”     

Looking for the fraud needle in a data haystack  

“What does our department do? In short, we manage and analyse the data of all ABN AMRO's private and business clients. There are 5.7 million in total, all of whom buy several products and make billions of transactions each year. This provides mountains of data from which valuable lessons can be drawn. Together with my colleagues, I constantly carry out risk analysis to try to detect and prevent financial fraud and terrorist financing. That way, we guarantee the security of the financial system.”

“I'm very happy with my team. We have a good mix of young and old, from different backgrounds, and lots of shared interests. The atmosphere in my department is very relaxed and informal, which is surprising to some of my friends. They thought I walked around in a suit all day and regularly had to work late into the night. That's not the case at all. The work-life balance is just right and I have more than enough time for other things after work.”

Developing each day: what we do it for

“I enjoy working with the latest technologies and systems, such as Databricks and Power BI. I am also given a lot of responsibility and I have really become an expert in my field over a short period of time. The fact that my work increasingly affects colleagues at other departments creates a certain pressure, but I see it as a challenge. It confirms to me that my work matters.”

“Fortunately, there is enough focus on coaching, training and personal development. We are really encouraged by our managers to share knowledge with each other during the weekly knowledge sessions, for example. It's an opportunity for team members to exchange knowledge, experiences and tips. I learn a lot from that.”

Going abroad soon?

“As well as learning from my colleagues each day, ABN AMRO gives me €1,000 a year to spend on courses and workshops. At the top of my list is the Artificial Intelligence course at the Oxford Summer School for Adults. My manager is enthusiastic about it and the proposal has been submitted to a committee for approval. I hope it goes ahead!”

“This is my first 'proper' job after graduating, and I would like to stay here for now. That should work out, as we are encouraged to rotate and apply for other positions within the bank. The ideal scenario? That I'll be working for ABN AMRO abroad in a few years' time.” 

Meanwhile, Max is a senior Data Analyst and has been able to work from abroad for six months trought an arrangement from ABN AMRO. Want to know more about this scheme? Colleague Myriam also used it and tells about it in her blog.