Fenne Schenkelaars

From Corporate Finance trainee to M&A award 

Fenne Schenkelaars started ABN AMRO’s Corporate Finance traineeship in 2020. That’s where she discovered the role that suited her best: the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) team. A perfect match, as she went on to win the Best Young M&A Advisor award last year. 

Fenne studied Financial Economics in Rotterdam. After an internship in the world of mergers and acquisitions, she knew: this is the direction for me. “It’s strategic, analytical and human at the same time. The complete package.” Still, she didn’t want to commit too quickly — perhaps there was a related field that would suit her even better. ABN AMRO’s Corporate Finance traineeship proved to be the perfect solution: three years rotating through different sector teams, gaining insight across the board, and spending a few months working at an office abroad. “You’re offered a whole range of flavours. That way, you can taste for yourself what suits you best.” 

Building a network from day one 

The traineeship starts with five weeks of training, in a small group with trainees from Corporate Finance and other tracks within Corporate Banking. “I now know people across different departments of the bank. If I need someone for a deal, I can just give them a call. That’s useful professionally, but also just great fun. The Corporate Finance trainee pool consists of around twenty people. You have drinks together, there are regular informal events, and real friendships form — we still go out for dinner together from time to time. I’ve made one of my best friends here. Earlier this year, we even travelled to Thailand together.” 

As much responsibility as you want 

As a trainee, you are fully involved in serious, high-profile deals from day one. The atmosphere can be quite competitive at times. Within M&A, the pace and expectations are high, with a strong focus on performance — but at the same time, collaboration is key and the culture remains highly collegial and accessible. “As a trainee, you can simply call your team head with questions or for feedback, right from the start. It’s very open here.”Each trainee is assigned a sponsor outside their own team to discuss anything they want. Fellow trainees also serve as sounding boards and sources of support. Throughout the traineeship, you follow training courses in both soft and hard skills, ranging from presentation and negotiation to financial modelling. 

Those who spot opportunities can seize them — and Fenne certainly does. Last year, she worked on a transaction worth more than €500 million when her deal lead unexpectedly went on parental leave earlier than planned. “I was 29, with less than five years of work experience. And they simply said: go ahead, take on the role. In many ways, the traineeship — and working at ABN AMRO more broadly — creates constant opportunities for professional development. For those who make the most of them, there is no better place to grow.” For Fenne, that combination of environment and mindset led to well-deserved recognition: in December 2025, she won the prestigious Best Young M&A Advisor award. 

A woman in a male dominated world 

Fenne is the only woman on her team. “M&A has traditionally been a male dominated environment, and you can see that — both within the department and among clients. But I see it as an opportunity: as a woman, you can stand out more quickly if you perform well.” She also sees that the department is actively working on diversity: around 30 to 35 percent of trainees are now women. And as a pool manager, Fenne now mentors the next generation of trainees herself. “I hope they think: she’s doing what I want to do — I can learn from her.”