Since 2020, Katharina Kapronczay has worked as the Property Manager within Group Real Estate

Group Real Estate (GRE) is responsible for all real estate operations within the SEB Group, which includes informing, monitoring, and following up on all types of property-related matters. Our mission is to support SEB’s vision by delivering world-class workplace solutions through a deep understanding of our customers. 

Katharina’s responsibilities include ensuring facilities for SEB’s Gothenburg site as well as bank branches in the Gothenburg and West regions, covering approximately 1,100 workspaces. She shares insights into this unique role and her experiences from 25 years at SEB.

"The experience for employees when they come to work should be of a pleasant and secure workplace. My tasks primarily focus on daily operations, which involves working closely with our various suppliers. The role covers many areas – it could involve security issues, adjusting space for a department, ensuring technology in meeting rooms functions well, keeping spaces clean, or making sure there’s good coffee available."

"One of the most important parts of my work is preventive maintenance – as a ‘customer,’ you should experience ‘zero friction,’ meaning that as an employee, you shouldn’t need to point out issues. Instead, we should be there to identify issues before anything breaks, allowing the rest of the bank’s operations to run smoothly. A large part of what I do is therefore not always visible, and in a way, that’s intentional."

What led you to choose this particular role?

"I came to SEB through Trygg-Hansa, which SEB acquired in 1997. Trygg-Hansa’s Customer Service moved to SEB’s Telephone Bank in Gothenburg, which meant that 60 people changed employers. It was a bit of a culture shock, but it was incredibly exciting to learn something new. After about a year, my then-manager thought I needed to learn more about working in a bank branch, so when a temporary position opened up, I took the opportunity – yet another enjoyable workplace. I’ve held various roles within the bank, such as working with SEB’s internal consultancy team SEB Way, leading Retail Support for Trade Finance, and managing a branch. When I turned 50, I took the opportunity to reevaluate my career and decided I definitely wanted to stay at SEB, but in a new role. I started looking at which roles were available within the bank.

"I identified two roles that I thought sounded exciting – one involving security issues and the other focused on facilities management. The roles sounded a bit unusual but very interesting. When a colleague was about to retire, I sent an email to their manager to express my interest, and when the application came out, I applied, which is essentially how I ended up here today."

How do your previous experiences within the bank benefit your current role?

"It has definitely been an advantage to have an established network and experience from working in the business, as well as familiarity with our systems. This helps me understand why things are a certain way, and I’m also not afraid to ask questions. Of course, there are challenges that come with any new role, but what’s most important is to be curious and have a willingness to learn."

What opportunities are there to try out new roles within SEB?

"The opportunities are truly fantastic! The bank is incredibly large and offers great potential for growth. It’s beneficial if you can express your own aspirations to your manager. Share what you want, how you envision your future. Dare to be bold and have that conversation. At the same time, it’s important to have a manager who supports you, asks questions, and is open to allowing their team to explore new roles. Together with your manager, you can work toward moving forward. Trying new things helps you grow. It’s all about embracing what comes your way. I’d also like to point out that there’s nothing wrong with staying in the same role—it often leads to becoming a specialist. But there is often so much more to discover. And when you take a leap, sometimes a whole new world opens up."