Motivation for development work has continuously advanced Maria Malmberg's career
The motivation for the development of organisations has taken Maria Malmberg, who is in charge of the implementation of Aktia's strategy and of the Lean programme, all the way from a branch to responsible leadership positions in Aktia.
In addition to the motivation, her career has been advanced by the courage to bring forward her own dreams and goals. Maria’s career path is confirming that a goal said out loud usually comes true.
“I have always been interested in looking at the bigger picture and at the same time to reflect on how things and the business could be improved even further. I have also been able to tell about my career hopes openly and luckily my managers have always had confidence in me”, says Maria.
From summer trainee to permanent employment
Maria found her way to Aktia already during her economics studies. Maria's main subject at the Hanken School of Economics was leadership and organisations and like many of her friends from the university she applied for a summer job in the finance sector in 2004.
After having contacted Aktia, which she found interesting, Maria was hired as a cashier at the Kolme Seppää branch office in the very centre of Helsinki. After the summer job Maria worked alongside her studies in sales at Aktia for about five years.
“I actually did everything you can do at a branch – except for being a branch manager. Duties for example as a financing and investment advisor, team leader responsibilities as well as a shorter term within customer acquisition brought me a lot of experience. At the customer interface you could see the diversity of the whole banking business”, says Maria.
Desiring more responsibility led to career reflections
“After I graduated, I wanted new challenges. As a developer I see things around me that I would like to widely influence to improve their functionality. I had a feeling I had the potential for that, and I wanted to use it”, says Maria.
Maria was looking at two options. She could start looking for a job outside the organisation that was already familiar to her or look for challenges within Aktia. Up to the present Maria has, however, found interesting tasks in Aktia that are developing her competence.
“During my career reflections I noticed a temporary job in internal audit at Aktia. I thought that this could be a springboard for my own career at Aktia.
Maria was right and it paid off to take the temporary job. Her career advanced quickly from internal audit to a position leading Aktia's operative risk management. In 2011 Maria was offered the responsibility for the renewal of the basic banking system, which was the final starting point for leadership positions at Aktia: during the last seven years Maria has worked as a leader within Aktia's product, process and IT development.
“I have been lucky in that I have had also fantastic managers, who have been able to identify my motivation for self-development, as well as for development work, and they have supported me in my career as suitable possibilities have arisen”, Maria smiles.
Current role a dream come true
“In spring 2019 I was given the task to start a Lean programme in Aktia and to establish a new development team around it. We have achieved really great results through Lean development methods and the journey has been very rewarding”, Maria says and continues:
“In addition, in June 2019 our CEO asked me if I was willing to take on the responsibility of Aktia's Strategy Implementation Office and to support both the Executive Committee and the personnel in the implementation of our updated strategy.”
Her current duties are exactly what Maria has been aiming at ever since the beginning of her career: customer-oriented development and strategic work at the organisational level. Both roles involve a broad total picture as well as development work.
“I am really working with things that motivate me. The reason why I have enjoyed working at Aktia so much is the various opportunities it has provided for my own career. The big changes within the finance sector will make interesting work opportunities available also in the future.”