Boyang’s advice for growth: dare to ask | ABN AMRO

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Fifteen years ago, Boyang left China for the Netherlands. Through an internship, she ended up in Amsterdam, where she quickly felt at home. Today, she has been working at ABN AMRO for almost seven years. ‘I have always felt incredibly supported here: to develop myself and stay true to who I am. That is something very special.’

What surprised Boyang most when she joined ABN AMRO: the support from female colleagues and managers. Through the Leading Ladies network, for example, where women help each other grow. ‘At every step in my career, I got the support I needed. And believe me, that is not always the case.’ Her first manager welcomed her and helped Boyang find her way within the bank. Later, another manager guided her when new opportunities arose. ‘She would mention my name everywhere she went, simply because she believed in me. Thanks to her, I am where I am today. I am very grateful for that.’

Two-way street

A personal highlight for Boyang was the Reverse Mentoring Programme, in which senior leaders spend time with colleagues from across the organisation, so they can learn from each other. Boyang was paired with Tanja Cuppen, ABN AMRO’s Chief Risk Officer at the time. ‘It was incredibly inspiring and motivating to work alongside her. She showed me how far you can make it if you work hard, build a strong network and make strategic choices – also as a woman. And as it turned out, Tanja learned a lot from me, too: about how she communicates, gives feedback and celebrates success. It was such a special opportunity to exchange experiences and skills.’

On top of that, Boyang also took part in the Future Proof career programme. Here, she learned to recognise her strengths, practise self-aware leadership and build a personal brand. ‘That went well beyond learning to be visible’, she says. ‘It’s about knowing who you are, what matters to you and what gives you energy. Thanks to those sessions, I have a clearer sense of what I stand for and how I can help others discover the same.’

To know what you want

Boyang emphasises how valuable it is to truly get to know yourself, what you want to achieve and what matters most to you. ‘It can serve as your compass. When I had only just joined the bank, being visible felt very important: meeting loads of people and building a large network. Now, I prefer to focus on complex, strategic issues around cyber risk and resilience. That aligns with who I am today and where my strengths lie.’

Giving and receiving

Giving something back to younger generations of women is a great motivator for Boyang. She supports trainees, helps them think about career moves and guides new colleagues as they find their place within the bank. ‘It brings me great joy, because I remember vividly how important that support was for me.’

She also hopes to contribute to an even more diverse ABN AMRO. ‘Different voices make for a stronger organisation. I do not think everyone will understand what it is like to move from China to the Netherlands as a woman, and that is fine. The more perspectives we have, the better we complement each other.’ Boyang points out this goes further than gender, and includes culture, age and background, too. ‘What is most important is that everyone has a fair chance and can be themselves.’

Advice?

After all these years at ABN AMRO, Boyang knows one thing for certain: opportunities are everywhere, if you are willing to chase them down. ‘The bank offers so many possibilities: from mentoring and coaching to networks like Leading Ladies. But to make the most of them, you will have to take initiative. Dare to ask: reach out and see what happens. If the answer is no, that is fine too. What matters is standing up for yourself.’

Together for equal opportunities

ABN AMRO is committed to equal opportunities for women — within the bank, for our clients, and in society at large. We have joined the Financial Alliance for Women and signed the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles in 2019, committing ourselves to take concrete action. Each year, we review pay practices to ensure equal pay for equal work. While salaries within the same scale are equal, we are actively addressing the imbalance in higher salary scales. Our goal is that by 2025, 35% of senior leaders and 48% of the sub-top will be women.

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