I enjoy being in the midst of a transformation journey

Says Viveka Hanno, who in the spring of 2023 switched from a career in law and HR to becoming Transformation Lead within Business Services. Here, she shares more about her career journey and explains how the division works with automation and digital transformation.

As Transformation Lead, Viveka Hanno plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing Business Services’ business plan, from strategic planning to implementation and follow-up – with the aim of driving greater efficiency through technical solutions. With a background in law and HR, it wasn't obvious for her to pursue a role in Business Services, but she was drawn to the breadth of the responsibility.

After earning her law degree from Uppsala University, Viveka chose to explore a consulting career in the audit industry. Just a few years as a tax lawyer led to her first managerial position, sparking an interest in leadership and change management. With experience working as a Department Manager, Chief Operating Officer, and HR Business Advisor, Viveka then decided to join SEB in the fall of 2016. 

– I was ready for a new challenge outside the audit industry and heard that SEB was looking for someone with a legal background to serve as Head of International Assignments within HR, which was how I first came to the bank. By that point, I had 15 years of work experience but suddenly felt like a student again – there was so much to learn. I was really impressed by SEB’s professionalism and the depth of knowledge within the organisation. It was incredibly inspiring.

After a couple of years as Head of International Assignments, Viveka was asked to establish an entirely new HR team as Head of Employment Specialist, focusing on labour law issues. Her responsibilities later expanded to include Head of Health & Wellbeing initiatives for a few years before ultimately moving to Business Services and the role of Transformation Lead. 

What made you switch to Business Services?

– I had been working in HR for a few years and wanted to take on a new challenge. Business Services was an area I had no prior experience in, which made it exciting to dive into something completely new. Our unit supports nearly all parts of the bank, enabling the business divisions to carry out their operations. Working in Business Services has been an incredible way to gain a deeper understanding of SEB’s broader operations and the services we provide to our customers. I also wanted to continue working with change management and rejoin a leadership team, which I’ve now had the opportunity to do as Transformation Lead.

Tell us more about your role! What are your key responsibilities?

– As a Transformation Lead, I am responsible for Business Services’ entire business plan – from developing it to tracking progress and ensuring we meet our targets. Many of the initiatives I lead span multiple areas of the organisation, creating countless opportunities for collaboration. I’m also in charge of overseeing the transformation agenda, which is heavily focused on automating various processes within Business Services. Our goal is to boost efficiency through new technical solutions, whether through robotics, AI, or improved data management. 

– Before stepping into this role, I didn’t have much technical expertise, but that’s one of the great things about SEB – you get the chance to learn on the go and apply that knowledge in real time. Today, discussing technical details over coffee is just a regular part of my day – something I never would have imagined a year ago.

What is the best part of your role?

– I enjoy being in the midst of a transformation journey, just as we are now in Business Services. You get to move things forward, delve into specific areas, think outside the box, and deliver results. What makes it even more exciting is doing this at SEB. The bank has a long-term perspective that I haven’t experienced elsewhere, both regarding staff, customers, and practically everything we work on. The times that I’ve reached out to other financial institutions to benchmark our work, they often tell me, “You guys at SEB are so far ahead – we’re looking to you for inspiration”. I think that’s really cool.