Area of work
Coverage Territories International (CTI)
Studied
Masters in Management Studies, Mumbai University
Joined
2004
Working in
Mumbai
I joined BNP Paribas within CTI in India as a credit analyst and am now a relationship manager. While being a credit analyst, I spent most of my time analysing lending requirements of current or prospective corporate clients, in view of our internal credit evaluations methodologies as well as the company and industry specific analysis. It was my job to analyse the potential risk of lending vis-à-vis the return on investments; to calculate the profitability for BNP Paribas. Now that I'm a relationship manager, I've moved into more of a marketing role, which involves going out in the market and identifying new clients and deals, and maintaining and improving our relationships with existing clients.
I really enjoy the client-facing and more dynamic aspects of my job. I need to keep myself constantly updated about what is happening within the bank and also with our clients and prospects, so that I'm well placed to pitch for new ideas. It involves a lot of interaction with the clients outside and with colleagues internally; we're a small team in India and we work very closely together. For instance, if I have something important to discuss, I can walk straight into the office of my CEO or any of the senior management and they'll make time for me. This is one of the great aspects of working for BNP Paribas in India, we have the benefits of a small team in terms of personal working relationships and closeness with colleagues, as well as being backed up by the huge global capabilities of BNP Paribas worldwide.
I have seen that this friendly culture in BNP Paribas isn't limited to India, it's the same globally. My role involves interaction with people in other offices like Singapore, New York and Paris and we have people from many different countries working in India with us and also visiting from other offices worldwide. For example, Jacques D'Estais, the Head of Corporate and Investment Banking at BNP Paribas, visited our office last year and we were given a chance to meet with him and discuss our views on the business and clients. I find these interactions with top management very motivating, because you know your views are being listened to and respected and at the same time, you have the opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced senior bankers around the world.
One of the things that I think is different and important about BNP Paribas is that although it's a global bank, it really values each and every individual who works here. I participated in the Worldwide Integration Network (WIN) Seminar when I joined initially, which really helped me to gain exposure to the bank, know our global capabilities, and meet people from diverse nationalities. We're a very employee friendly and humane bank, where every individual's capabilities and strengths are recognised and they are given a chance to grow and develop in line with individual aspirations and organisational goals. You can move into different roles, or move geographically - I've moved between Mumbai and Delhi and I know many other colleagues who've moved to other offices overseas.
I think the type of people who succeed in CTI at BNP Paribas are go-getters - technically strong and confident people who know how to identify new clients and deals, while also maximising the value of existing relationships. We are currently investing a lot of time and energy in growing our operations in India, so for people who can prove their mettle, the growth opportunities will be fantastic.
