By Juliah Njuguna
How would people describe you?
This is a tough question seeing as different people in my life would describe me in very different lights. My family would say that I enjoy the simple things in life and that I always try to lighten peoples’ moods. They’d say that I always go out of my way for others, sometimes maybe more than I should; they’d also say that I am always there for them and that I rarely ever miss any functions going on at the family level. I’ve been told a number of times that when I’ve missed any, my absence is hugely felt. My colleagues on the other side would describe me as a very organized, considerate and dependable person. They’d also say that I am a very outgoing person and I am always willing to participate in events organized by the bank.
When did you join ABC Bank?
I joined ABC Bank in 2009 and I have been working here for the last 9 years because I feel challenged & motivated by the roles I do. The work ethics, environment and culture of ABC Bank has also influenced my stay as it has continuously contributed to my personal growth.
I first joined as an intern in the Risk and Compliance Department and soon after, I was absorbed into the Bank in the Internal Business Division where I stayed till 2015. Internal Business Division was the place that moulded me to the person I am and I must admit that I learnt a lot being part of the team that plays a vital role as far as bank operations is concerned.
I had always wanted to be in the Risk and Compliance Department so when a vacancy arose in 2015, I jumped ship to the department. Being in Risk and compliance is quite a different experience as most of the work involves evaluating and analyzing the risk and compliance affairs of an organization including revising procedures ,preparing reports periodically, to identify inherent, residual and emerging risk and compliance matters. I am very analytical person and being at Risk and Compliance has helped me practice my analytical skills and has also sharpened my knowledge on factors affecting banks and its customers and ways to resolve them.
How does your typical work day look like?
Risk & Compliance is a controls department which involves developing and overseeing effective banking control tools and systems to help prevent or deal with non- conformity. My work therefore consists of being a contact person to both the internal & external customers. I provide guidance on risk & compliance matters for instance policies, procedures and regulatory guidelines. I also ensure that the guidelines are adhered to on a day to day basis and issues identified that require investigation or follow-up are closed on time with consideration of a customer’s comfort.
What advice would you give someone looking to do what you do?
For anyone to succeed in Risk and compliance they should be willing to learn as much as they can on every perspective of the Industry they are in. They need to be hardworking, have good listening skills and be very attentive to details as this will set them apart from everyone else on the same path. The better-rounded a person is, the more likely they are to succeed in this field.
What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were younger?
“Anyone can become what they want to become but they have to believe in their abilities”
What did you want to be while growing up?
I wanted to be a teacher. (Laughs) It’s funny coming from me now, I know. But growing up all I thought about was being a teacher and how I would be giving back to the community. My love for knowledge also fuelled this wish as I wanted to share everything I would have learnt with others. Most of the parents at the time I was growing up, were teachers who were highly respected in the society and I sort of envied the respect they were accorded. I mean who wouldn’t? Reflecting back, my teachers impacted heavily on my decision as they helped make me who I am today and I wanted to do the same for others. I didn’t turn out to be a teacher but I like what I do now. I impart knowledge indirectly and that counts for something.
What keeps you going?
My family keeps me going. I have two children who look up to me and I always want to be the person they emulate. The smile my little girl greets me with whenever I go back home from work pushes me to work a little harder each day so that I can always give them the best that life has to offer. Family has a way of making you grounded; it drives your decisions from being self-centered to about how those decision will affect others. I am very self-driven and my passion for life and knowing that I can always achieve what I set myself to- drives me. Determination to always be better than yesterday keeps me going as life is generally what we make it be.
Parting Shot
That would be a quote from Heraclitus “The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change -”
I think people should learn to embrace change as it comes and adjust accordingly.