Lennart Zetterfalk, Senior Client Executive, Russia.

Lennart says that already early in his career, his plans were to help take a bank to the top. "I'm glad it happened to be Swedbank," he says.

What is your educational background?
Master of Science in Business Administration (Finance), Stockholm University, Bachelor of Humanities, Uppsala University, Studies of Finance at London School of Economics

Why did you start working at Swedbank?
I joined one of the local branches in Stockholm as a client executive for mid-sized corporations. The main reason for taking on the job was my interest in working with corporate clients and my interest in finance.

What is the proudest moment in your professional career?
Every working day at the bank. Swedbank is the most advanced and professional Scandinavian bank in Russia. We work with top-tier companies of Russian, Baltic and Swedish origin.

Why did you apply for this position?
I was encouraged to do so by colleagues at the bank. I have never regretted this decision.

What does your job entail?
Helping Russian companies of non-Russian origin with cash management and credit solutions in Russia; helping Swedish colleagues more easily find their way through Swedbank’s Russian branch; and explain Russian peculiarities such as currency control and legislative issues to foreign companies.

What is the best part of your job?
What our bank is doing in the Baltics, Russia and Ukraine today will be crucial for the success of our bank in the future global market. Today, over 30 percent of our revenues come from this region. In some years, it could be double, or even more! To be part of building Swedbank’s future is the best part of this job.

How do you relax after work?
I like going to the gym. For the winter, I have prepared my cross-country skis for the tracks outside Moscow. In addition, a few friends and I are going to Sochi in Southern Russia to snowboard. Sochi will be the venue for the Olympic Winter Games in 2014 so I want to try the slopes before the international professionals do!

What are your future career plans?
To take Swedbank to the top.

Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to work in your department?
A good knowledge of banking. I think that when you work outside Swedbank’s home markets – Sweden and the Baltic States – then it is more important that you know the banking business well. In Sweden, there are more people to ask and more specialists to use then in for instance Russia where only 350 people work, compared to 8,000 in Sweden.