Manuela Fokkema

​​​The creative side of IT 

“I joined the bank when I was just 19 years old. I had worked as an intern at the AMRO Bank as part of a short IT course, and afterwards I was offered a job, which I decided to accept. That was a major step for me, as I had grown up in a working class family where it was not the norm for women to work. I started out as a PC administrator. Everyone still used a typewriter back then, but computers were slowly being introduced. My job involved dealing with malfunctions, installing software and making sure the computers kept running.”  

Moving on up

“I began at the bottom because I was one of very few people at the bank who did not have a university degree. So I took evening classes and followed internal courses, and that is how I managed to climb up the ladder within IT. ABN AMRO provided me with plenty of support: it offers many courses and there are multiple budgets you can use to pay for them. After working as a PC administrator, I joined the helpdesk. I obtained my Lean Black Belt in 2015, after which I grew into various management roles. In 2018, I decided to pursue certification for the role of product owner. Six years later I also obtained my PSPO-II, which is an advanced level of certification.”  

“As a product owner I am responsible for the Configuration Management DataBase (CMDB). That database contains the entire IT landscape. Our colleagues at the bank use that data to keep their IT processes and products up to date. It is my responsibility to ensure that the database is accurate, complete and compliant. ​​I also need to inform departments within the bank – such as Internet Banking – in a timely manner if they need to update their applications. They do this using my database.”  

Women in the field

“I work in the Platforms & Technology department, which manages all of the bank’s platforms. In the CMDB team, besides myself, there is a scrum master and five developers. Three of the developers are not Dutch and work remotely - they are from Bulgaria, Czechia and India. So, it is a nice mix in terms of backgrounds. As a Diversity & Inclusion ambassador, I try to raise awareness about diversity within my department. Unfortunately I am the only woman in my team – there are still very few female applicants in this field. Many people still think you need to be very technically minded to work in IT. However, I see it differently: it is actually a creative field. This is because the practical side of IT - how do you apply it in your daily work, and how does it make your life easier - is becoming more and more important.”  

A busy bee

“Besides my regular work, I frequently volunteer through the ABN AMRO Foundation. We took a group of socially vulnerable children to Archeon recently. And last year, during Christmas, I helped decorate a nursing home with a group of colleagues. I am also an ambassador for Speak Up, the bank’s programme for promoting an open and safe working environment. Colleagues can come to me if they encounter any issues or find themselves in an uncomfortable situation.”  

New generation  

“I will be starting a five-month coaching course shortly. Once I have completed that course I will join ABN AMRO’s coaching network, which offers free coaching sessions to our colleagues. I want to support the new generation of ABN AMRO employees in their careers, and encourage them to stay curious and work on their development. By helping young colleagues in this way, I hope to leave something meaningful behind when I retire.”