Chelle van Hesse

Private Banking

From court to bank

‘I always wanted to become a lawyer when I was young. Or attend drama school, one of the two. Spoiler alert: neither of those happened. I did study law, though, in Leiden and Amsterdam. Matrimonial property law and inheritance law were really my thing. The problem was that they only practice these specialisms at smaller firms, whereas I wanted to work for a large corporate. So I was thinking: where can I go? Well, a bank as it turned out.’

‘Why did I want to work at a large corporate so badly? I feel that we’re all becoming a little bit alienated from each other, partly because of digitisation and individualisation. I want to connect personally with people, work together, learn from each other. That is when I function best. And not unimportant: it just seemed like a great deal of fun.’

A bit stubborn

‘That‘s why I applied for a traineeship at ABN AMRO almost a year ago. Specifically at the Wealth Management department, which is part of ABN AMRO MeesPierson – our private bank. As a law student, I did have some doubts: how would I fare without any financial knowledge or experience? I took the plunge and simply applied. I may not have had the most obvious educational background, but what I did have was ambition and perseverance. And I proved that you can succeed if you want it enough: I was invited to start in September 2023.’

Business-like and cold? On the contrary

‘Why do a traineeship at ABN AMRO MeesPierson? Well, a private bank provides a very personal service. You may think that conversations about finance are cold and business-like, but it actually involves feelings and understanding people. Customers share a lot with you and really open up. You create a bond with them and guide them through all manner of important life events and new beginnings: marriage, divorce, death. I find that human aspect very special.’

‘The Wealth Management Traineeship lasts a year and a half, and you get to know all kinds of departments in different rotations. Even neater: you also have the opportunity to try something completely different that interests you anywhere within the bank. For example, in my last three months, I plan to work in the marketing and communications department.’

Something new every day

'I've been at it for six months now and I’ve learned so much already. ABN AMRO gives you room to learn more about the profession, your colleagues and, above all, yourself. At first, I was nervous about being in the spotlight, and I was afraid to say something wrong. The mindset they emphasise at ABN AMRO though is: ask questions, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and say what you think – you’re here to learn. I now feel much more free to be myself and do my own thing as a result. In addition, you come into contact with so many people, and you learn something valuable from everyone. I think I’ve met new people every day for the past few months!’

Bright future

'I've noticed that the opportunities here are really limitless. For example, you can easily progress to a different job, both horizontally and vertically, if you want to. Retraining for data, financial crime, logistics or marketing and communication? Anything is possible! But, in return, they expect you to be assertive, eager to learn and open-minded. They give you a lot of freedom here, so make the most of it.’
 
‘I always thought: ABN AMRO is very conservative, it’s mainly old people working there. But I was really wrong about that: it’s a young and progressive company that pays attention to diversity and talent. I collaborate with all kinds of ambitious and talented colleagues. And that’s necessary, because as a bank we face major challenges: how do we digitise our services without becoming impersonal? How do we appeal to the younger generation more effectively? How do we make our planet more sustainable? These are all important questions. I'm happy to do my bit for the solution.’