International assignment in Singapore with Mia och Linn

As a part of SEB’s Trainee Programme participants get the chance to visit one of the bank's international offices to work on a specific project. For Mia Häggström and Linn Kristiansson this opportunity led to a month-long stay in Singapore. They tell us about their time abroad and explain why this has been a valuable experience!

How did you end up in Singapore?

Linn: When you go on an international assignment, the project you work on should be related to your regular role. So, where you end up depends on what area you work within. I work as a Business Analyst within Financing Services, and our department has the strongest connection to Singapore and Vilnius. Since a large part of my team is based in Vilnius, we have already established a strong work relationship there. Therefore, my managers and I agreed that I should visit Singapore as I could deepen our collaboration and exchange knowledge and experiences. 

Mia: I work as a Client Associate in Private Wealth Management & Family Offering (PWMFO) in Luxembourg. So, for me, the choice was between London and Singapore. My manager and I agreed that Singapore would be a good choice for me as it would be a great way for me to start building my network there, but also because of the project opportunities. 

Tell us more about the projects you worked on!

Linn: My project primarily revolved around extracting, structuring and visualising incident- and process data. It’s something that may not always be prioritised at the international offices, so everyone was very grateful for the work I put in, and it felt especially rewarding to make a real contribution in just a month!

Mia: The main project I worked on is not yet official. However, I also conducted a market analysis to better understand our prospect group in Singapore, among other tasks. There can be significant differences between different offices, especially in different countries, so it was definitely very educational just to be on site. 

What was the most fun part of the trip? 

Linn: I really appreciated how everyone at the office was incredibly engaged and welcoming! On our first day in Singapore, one of our managers met with us and took the time to show us around the city and the area where we would be living. We also had several scheduled opportunities to network and learn more about the different departments on site. Everything was very well organised, and it was clear that everyone made an effort to ensure we felt seen and included. 

Mia: Absolutely! I also think it was fun to try working in a completely new environment. Singapore is very large, and is also a big business hub, so it was incredibly motivating to experience that lifestyle – working among skyscrapers and in such a cool office. It was also very convenient that Linn and I visited the office at the same time. It allowed us to learn from each other and have someone to explore the city with, which of course, was a lot of fun!

What do you take away from your time in Singapore? 

Mia: Besides learning about things specific to our roles, I think we have both become more curious since the trip. Even though I have always been a curious person, after a month in Singapore, I’ve gotten into a rhythm where I constantly want to learn more. And that’s very motivating now that I’m back with my regular team.

Linn: I agree! I feel both motivated and inspired, but I also come back with a broader understanding of the bank, life on site, and more confidence. As the site-offices are smaller it was easier to follow different processes from beginning to end and see how tasks and cases move between various teams. At the same time, you’re almost thrown into everything – suddenly you’re in a new country, have new routines, and are expected to execute a project effectively. At first, it can feel a bit challenging, but once you get started, you realise how fun it is and how much confidence it builds. That is definitely something I will take with me.