11 December 2023
Cross-border talent for a global business
A brief analysis on International Mobility in investment banking, told by our experts Ingo Ramming, Head of Carbon Market Products; Kavaklioglu Cem, Vice President of Trading Flow Fx Volatility & Linear; Alba Benitez, Global Client Coverage in the United States; and Blanca Gonzalez, e-commerce sales analyst in London at BBVA CIB.
In the last month, there have been over 2.5M public mentions related to International Mobility. In our latest LinkedIn Trending Data newsletter, we have cross-referenced this data with the more than 1.8 M mentions linked to #GlobalBusiness and the more than 600 K to #ExploreandWork, #CareerGrowth and #WorkAbroadLife to bring you a brief analysis about the opportunities offered by international experience and geographic mobility in BBVA CIB's investment banking.
In the globalized world of investment banking, searching for and retaining talent has become the keys to unlocking the doors of excellence in customer service. The ability to transcend borders and adapt to diverse cultures and markets is a powerful catalyst for professional growth and innovation in the career paths of everyone working in this dynamic and changing sector.
Global interconnection has transformed the way companies work. This requires a crucial skill from professionals in the sector: adaptability to diverse working environments. International mobility does not just mean the possibility of working in different countries. It also means immersing yourself in the riches of the perspectives and approaches that each location offers. Connectivity and intercultural understanding are crucial in BBVA CIB. We operate in 24 countries around the world, with more than 3,500 professionals. We wanted to find out from four of our experts about how international experience and geographic mobility have shaped them into the professionals they are today.
The international experience in the first person: what do BBVA CIB professionals say?
Why move if everything is now just a click away when you have a network connection? Blanca González, an e-commerce sales analyst at BBVA CIB in London, who has also worked in the Hong Kong office, says that the international mobility program is extremely useful: "it gives you the opportunity to learn about other forms and ways of doing business. And you can connect with other teams and find synergies and possible solutions. It generates a connection that provides a benefit for the future, which you can leverage throughout the rest of your career". And it is not just the bank that benefits. Our customers are also constantly nourished by the riches of the points of view and experiences of our employees. That is the opinion of Alba Benítez, from Global Client Coverage in the United States, a market to which BBVA CIB is firmly committed: "It is motivating to be part of such an ambitious growth program for the bank. It is opening up very enriching new experiences for me. Working in the USA is offering me a unique opportunity to see up close the dynamics of an immense market and the key role our customers are playing in it". She adds that "CIB has a global approach in its DNA. It is a global area that facilitates these international experiences".
CIB has a global approach in its DNA. It is a global areathat facilitates these international experiences
Innovation and adaptability are key elements that come into play the moment you take the step of changing environments. Kavaklioglu Cem, Vice President of Trading Flow Fx Volatility & Linear, who is originally from Turkey and is currently working on the trading desk in the Hong Kong office, says that "it is important to have great emotional intelligence and good communication skills, so you can quickly relate to colleagues in a new and culturally different working environment, and start working as a team as soon as possible". What you learn in one place can be the solution in another. Kavaklioglu's experience demonstrates this: "While learning about new markets, I also had the opportunity to take advantage of my previous experience in Turkish markets. We launched an initiative to become a trading center for Asian customers who want to trade the Turkish lira".
Flexibility and fluidity in the face of change and having an adaptable professional profile are particularly important. Ingo Ramming, Head of Carbon Market Products, a German national currently working in Madrid who has also worked in London and Frankfurt, says: "financial markets are global. Events in one country can have a significant impact on other countries, the global economy, trade flows, the prices of currencies and commodities, and interest rates. In my case, we are facing a global challenge at BBVA CIB: climate change. We can't isolate ourselves and try to create a national solution to a global problem".
Asked to identify one star quality, the four interviewees agreed and emphasized that open-mindedness is essential for leadership in an increasingly interconnected and dynamic business world. As Ingo concluded: "Life begins where your comfort zone ends".