Oana Milak

Optimum protection against every risk

“I have been working in the banking industry for over 20 years, and most of that time has been spent in risk management. My career in the industry began at Raiffeisen Bank, initially in Romania, where I was born. I then spent around 10 years working for the same bank in Vienna. In 2021 we made a decision as a family to relocate to the Netherlands, and I knew right away that I wanted to work for ABN AMRO. I had been a great admirer of the bank since my student days. The fact that the organisation is so committed and ambitious, and genuinely wants to use its prominent position in society to make a difference, really appealed to me. Luckily, I managed to get a job here quite quickly.”

From data to risk

“My first two roles focused on data and reporting. Although I enjoyed those roles, I missed the field I used to work in, which was risk management. Besides that, I wanted greater responsibility and work of a more strategic nature, so I told my manager, who was really supportive and helped me work out how to achieve my goal. After various focused discussions and assignments, I found myself in my current role, which is Head of Stress Testing and Recovery & Resolution Planning. 

Keeping a close eye on the things that matter

“Our work comes down to measuring and understanding how different risks can impact the bank and support senior management take the right decisions to prevent that from happening. We develop various scenarios in an effort to identify and shore up our weaknesses. We also pay close attention to all internal and external developments surrounding us, ranging from macroeconomic events to cybercrime, and from extreme weather conditions to climate change. Such threats could harm the bank, as well as our clients, our partners, the banking industry as a whole and even society. It is a major responsibility that requires us to stay up to date on everything happening around us.”  

Quality due to differences, not in spite of them

“Identifying and assessing potential risks calls for creativity and collaboration. Everyone has blind spots and we all have our own way of working. That my teams of over 20 people consistently deliver quality is due to their diversity. Our differences mean we complement each other very well and are much more likely to discuss important developments from different perspectives. Seriously, I am really proud of the level of diversity within my team - and throughout ABN AMRO, in fact.”

Seeking each other out

“Obviously, that level of diversity also brings challenges. For instance, we have to communicate in English, although funnily enough almost everyone has someone they can talk to in their own language. And to give another example, not every culture is strict when it comes to punctuality. That is why we have agreed as a team that we will try to take a Dutch approach when interacting with each other. To us, that means speaking plainly so there is no room for different interpretations. It also helps that we see each other on a regular basis. We have adopted hybrid working but we still come into the office at least two days a week. And we make time to be social, even if that is ‘just’ getting together for coffee.”

Helping others progress

“My career here proves that ABN AMRO is a great place when it comes to development. Moreover, as a manager I am able to help others progress. I consider it my duty and responsibility, as well as something that I enjoy. And, finally, I would really like to mention that ABN AMRO is an excellent place for ambitious women. I’ve been given plenty of space to grow, and there are plenty of female managers here, too. Everyone here gets the same chances. That level of inclusivity makes this the ideal workplace for me.”