From 50 to 400: How a Poland-based risk modelling hub became a global powerhouse in just 5 years
19:56
Reflecting on five transformative years, ING Hubs Poland’s Risk Hub has grown from a small project to a thriving international hub. It now excels in end-to-end risk solutions, data management, and modeling.
It has been five years since the launch of Risk Hub at ING Hubs Poland. Can you tell us about the journey, the development, and the challenges over the years?
We initially started mid 2019 with 50 people and an exploratory project. ING Hubs Poland at that moment were mostly technology focused, having limited risk modelling experience.
Before we started, we investigated various global locations to determine where such services could be developed. Through market analysis, we made sure we were well-prepared. But our primary goal was to build trust by demonstrating our capabilities, by recruiting the right talent and delivering on services that met with internal partners’ needs within regulatory requirements.
Since then, we’ve grown rapidly, and now boast a workforce close to 400 and from over 30 countries, creating something that’s truly international. We’ve diversified our services to encompass data management, tooling, modeling and validation. One of our key strengths is our ability to provide end-to-end solutions, which I think sets us apart.
We’ve built strong relationships with our Headquarters in the Netherlands, but also with various global units, which is reflective of our reputation overall. What’s more, the expansion has made it necessary to restructure, to organize in a way that is both effective and fast-evolving.
It’s our fifth anniversary this year, and so when I look back the recognition we’ve received, the eagerness of other global units, who were happy to work with us, it is obvious we were doing it right. The quality of our people and the services has just been outstanding.
Looking forward, what is your vision for the future of the Risk Hub and the business you will develop, especially in the context of a fast-changing external environment?
Our primary goal now is to take more ownership of the services and products we develop. Our aim is to increase our influence over both what we do and how we do it.
We’re also expanding our collaborative efforts with teams in the Philippines and Turkey, which aligns with ING's global sourcing strategy.
For us it’s important to become a center for knowledge transfers. With our international experience and diverse operations, we are well-positioned to provide training and development programs across ING worldwide. This includes ensuring high-quality models and well-structured data, but also sharing knowledge and leadership within the organization.
In the future, we plan to boost our global mobility by increasing short and long-term assignments to different locations. That way we can enable local talent and improve our global skills.
How does Risk Hub align its strategic vision with the broader objectives of the ING Group? Is innovation driven from within the Risk Hub or does it primarily come from requests by the Group?
The risk domain is crucial for any organization, especially financial ones, and every employee at Risk Hub plays a part in risk management. Large projects, such as developing and validating rating systems, are key focuses. Risk Hub is essential to this process, meeting the expectations of stakeholders, the management board, and regulators.
Innovation is driven both internally and through group requests. As one of the largest modeling centers, Risk Hub demonstrates significant scale and impact within ING. We continue to grow (although at a lower tempo), transitioning from simple, labor-intensive tasks to knowledge and expertise intensive work. This shift emphasizes our investment in talent and expert knowledge, which will drive our future development.
You employ many experts from different nationalities. Is it still feasible to find the necessary talent in Poland, and what type of work model do you apply?
Finding the right talent is challenging, especially as we seek individuals with strong data skills and an understanding of financial regulations. Our international aspect aids in this, as we employ colleagues from Asia, South America, and Africa. The reputation we’ve built over five years helps attract talent willing to make bold moves to join us in Poland.
International employees bring diverse perspectives and cultures, enriching our team and offering new ways of working. Integration is key. We ensure all employees feel part of the organization and have a platform to voice their needs through different initiatives. We have, for example, our dedicated Diversity Group – Culture Group, which implements initiatives aimed at supporting employees from other countries during the onboarding process and throughout their career journey in Poland.
Overall, our employee value proposition centers on creating a truly international environment in Poland, where diverse talents can thrive and contribute effectively.
For More Interviews with the Team from The Risk Hub at ING Hubs Poland:
