Mattijn Bak discusses his time working in Vietnam and how connecting with head office shaped his career. He argues that treasury professionals need to embrace big data and change to stay relevant in finance.
I would recommend that experience to everybody. I think it makes you understand does not always your point of view is not the only point of view. And that's something I think the experience of the business is that people from head office like treasury, but also group control and what have you and communications, they tend to think that's their A story is the truth. And people in business always struggle to understand why they think that is the case. And if you're out there on your own, because I was the only Dutchman in a company of 500 people, well, two French people, by the way, eating lunch and people start talking Vietnamese only. So it sometimes can be a little bit lonely. But nevertheless, you have to take initiative, you have to change things and you have to convince people because it's their country, their company. Very useful experience. What I did wrong, and I think that's a good tip for most expats, is that I forgot to connect with the head office. So I was there in Vietnam for what was it, just over two years. In the meantime, the CFO changed. A lot of other management positions changed. I think you have to connect to these people now and then more regular than not regular if you want your career to advance. Because in my position, I was someone they stopped knowing when I came back. And then it's difficult for the next step in your career. And I want to go back to Treasury. After two years in finance, there was no place in treasury within New Drake or so there was no issue. It was more my problem than the company's problem. And then I left for a retailer, I think they definitely should embrace big data. I think the future will be extremely data driven. You need to be able to understand and work with that as a person. I would say I had to do regular change jobs does not have to be per se changing companies, but that helps change cultures, change countries. Travel, in my opinion is a very positive experience for every employee. And I think I have a friend of mine, he always gives me the impression that he only works for the weekend. I would never do that. You should always work for fun. Work should give you energy and not cost you energy.
