"At zeb, I can focus on my strengths and passions which are, among others, the quantitative skills I have acquired at university."

Daniel

Manager — Finance & Risk
Zurich


1. What has brought you to zeb?

I spent a year working for a traditional American strategy consultancy. But I could not really use the quantitative skills I had acquired at university. These are however one of my strengths and passions. 

Then my former room mate from the University of St. Gallen talked to me about zeb and the opportunity to work in the area of interest rate risk and modeling replication portfolios. As a consultant! 

During the job interview the Office Manager asked whether I would also promote the zeb brand more strongly in Switzerland. Being offered responsibility already as a young consultant and to make a significant contribution to the company’s development instead of being one consultant among many convinced me. I now work on interesting treasury topics and at the same time, I help to further and better position my company zeb in Switzerland. 

 

2. What makes zeb special?

Essentially, there are three reasons why even after five years I still enjoy working for zeb. The first reason is the family-like culture that the people at zeb live. No matter how hectic a project is, you are always treated with respect. Moreover, all colleagues I have met at zeb are very interesting and open-minded. And this is the way we interact with one another. The second reason is the large degree of freedom zeb gives you. zeb gives your ideas room to develop. The company gives you time to elaborate your ideas and supports you when you have questions. It also gives you the opportunity to test the developed ideas with clients. This way zeb enables you to significantly change the banking industry. In the end, this is what makes you feel you are making a difference! Furthermore, your preferences regarding topic areas and markets in which you would like to work are taken into consideration in staffing decisions—even when you are a young consultant and do not yet acquire and manage your projects yourself. Finally, the third reason is the responsibility you are given from early on. You can support the partners in acquiring new clients and in elaborating entry strategies for new markets. You can help develop new ideas that change the banking industry or you can enhance internal processes at zeb yourself.

 

3. What are your responsibilities at zeb?

Today I am responsible for zeb’s market development in the area of Finance & Risk at Swiss regional banks. I currently support a Swiss regional bank in defining interest rate risk appetite and I develop a new risk model for a bank in Frankfurt in their investment business for illiquid assets such as ships and planes. As well as this, I am preparing a Treasury Round Table for Swiss regional banks on the topics of interest rate risk management, I am developing a new idea for a funds transfer price concept as well as liquidity management in the negative interest rate environment. Ultimately, I am partly responsible for the recruitment of new consultants in the area of Finance & Risk in Switzerland and I conduct job interviews for interested students and professionals. 

 

4. How did you experience your first weeks at zeb? What were your first impressions?

At my first day my staffing manager called me and told me to book a flight to Vienna for next Monday as I would start directly on a project. After I had two days to get ready with IT and infrastructure, I was warmly welcomed by the project team and my CDC, who is still today responsible for my career development and got my sparring partner on any things. It was usual to go to a bar for one evening per week and many of the project members are still close friends, even those who are not working at zeb in the meantime anymore and I always connect with them when I come to Vienna or even travel only for them to Vienna for their birthday parties.