3 goldene Regeln für den Berufsstart | KfW-Vorstand Bernd Loewen zum Thema Ausbildung bei der KfW

Yes, that's why we're here, I'm very happy to.

Yes, the most important tools on my first day - or the most important to-do, I can name that very clearly. I was CFO and risk officer at the time, and the focus was clearly on restructuring the risk department. That started with me having to hire a new head of risk controlling. The recruitment process was already quite advanced; there were three remaining candidates. I interviewed all three and then worked very hard to bring the one I considered absolutely suitable to KfW, competing with another offer. In the end I succeeded, and I think it was a very good decision and a very good placement. That is Stefan Preiss, who today is my successor as risk officer. That was really - I told my wife, if I get him, then the first big topic is done. And fortunately it worked out very well.

The personal highlight of the past year is, in my view, also the professional highlight: the implementation of the KfW special program. We had already implemented a special program before, back when I arrived, the special program of the financial crisis, which also served as a blueprint for the current program. Not exactly, but the basic structure corresponds to that earlier program. Now it was much larger and more complex in terms of dimensions, but to get everything done, coordinate it, push it into sales, organize it internally in systems and processes, set up the entire invoicing cycles with the federal government, at this speed – that is, I think, unique. The current special program is about four to five times the size of the earlier one. So that was the highlight, that we managed it. That makes me professionally proud, and also personally proud as a member of the board, and as the person responsible during that time for treasury, accounting, portfolio credit management, and also the HR department – as we call it – to have implemented all that in that time makes me, as a board member of KfW, very proud.

Yes, they did. I am usually very organized and disciplined. My family still got to see me. You shouldn't imagine that the board decides everything. We worked very, very agilely. The topics that the board had to decide were decided every morning in the so-called morning meeting in the shortest possible time, at most one hour, by all of us, and then we moved on. That also enabled us to keep that timeline in the end. But I must say, I have great employees, great managers, and I still had evenings and weekends. So we had it quite well under control, and that also recharged my family.

I am often asked that, especially by trainees, dual students, and apprentices. And the answer is always the same, it hasn't changed throughout my entire career: There is a time for work, a time for family, a time for friends, and a time for sports. And you have to allocate the appropriate priorities and time slots to each topic. When I started working after university, I usually started at 8:30 AM and finished at 7 PM, and that still holds today. You can do it if you want to.

Yes, I really enjoy cycling. I really enjoy walking. I started yoga two years ago to get some physical balance as a desk worker, I really like it. And I am an enthusiastic skier. This year, after about 50 years, the ski vacation was canceled due to Corona for the first time, but I hope for the year 2022. Actually, it's not 50 years, I need to correct myself – it's after 40 years. I look forward to the next season and hope it will take place as we are used to in normal times. And of course, good and sensible snow, and maybe even some après-ski.

The first tip is definitely: only do something that you enjoy—that applies to the profession, but also to the employer. I think there is nothing worse than making a career, being well-off, advancing, earning good money, but you don't enjoy it. That makes you deeply unhappy, and there are enough colleagues to whom that has happened. So only do something you enjoy. The second: don't become too obsessed. In the end, I have to ask myself: Do I enjoy what I'm doing? Can I fulfill myself? Are those good tasks that I like to go to work for in the morning? Do I enjoy this activity? Do I move things forward? Do I like the colleagues? Do I like the company? And am I paid adequately and appreciated? If that's true, then keep doing it as long as it's fun. And if at some point the pressure for change bothers you, then take that change. But don't be too obsessed with a career track; that doesn't work. And the last: we already touched on it: don't lose sight of the other essential things in life amid career thinking. I fortunately managed that, and my employers always allowed it. Alongside your career, there is also a circle of friends, family, hobbies, so many exciting things in the world. Don't become one-dimensional. Fortunately, the younger generation is doing much better in that regard than we were. So I think the young generation already brings a lot with them in that respect.