Ana Domínguez’s Post

Five years ago, I took a leap into the unknown, and it changed my life in ways I never imagined. 💭 Today, I celebrate five years at Itaú Unibanco, a milestone that marks not just the start of my career in IT but the beginning of a journey filled with growth, challenges, and triumphs. This was my first job in the field, a door that opened to endless possibilities. Little did I know that stepping through it would lead me to where I am today. 🎉 What makes this moment truly surreal is that I’m writing these words from Toronto. Yes, Toronto! I’m here on an exchange program that has been a dream of mine for years—a dream that only became possible after countless hours of hard work, sacrifice, and unwavering determination. There were times when it felt out of reach, but every setback was a lesson, every late night was an investment, and every ounce of effort brought me closer to this reality. ✨ I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey—my amazing colleagues, inspiring mentors, and supportive friends and family. You believed in me even when I doubted myself, and for that, I am forever thankful. 🙏🏽 As I reflect on these five years, I feel a deep sense of pride and gratitude, but also a renewed hunger for what’s to come. If these past five years have taught me anything,it’s that no dream is too big if you’re willing to work for it. What dreams are you chasing? How has your journey shaped who you are today? I’d love to hear your stories and keep this conversation going! #Ituber #Journey #TI #ExchangeProgram

Last chance to apply this year! 📆 Apply before Wednesday 17th April. Take a look what Jordan had to say about receiving the fund below: "The Santander Entrepreneurship Fund (SEF) helped me realise my potential and for me to see in me what others did not. I would like to thank Careers and Employability and Santander Universities for the advantage they have given me; assisting my dreams to become a reality by helping me to buy equipment for my future business which I may not have been able to purchase myself without this funding." 💡If you have a start-up business idea and need to get it off the ground, would £1,000 help you get started? ✔️ Interested? UK Undergraduates, Postgraduates and graduates of University of Chester can apply now on CareerHub. To find out more about SEF, whether you are eligible, and how to apply, click here - https://lnkd.in/ePpppdBP #VentureProgramme #SantanderUniUK @SantanderUKNews #chestercareers

A Human Face of Banking 😊 I was delighted yesterday to visit the new Santander Work Café UK in London. The premise of the Work Café is putting a human face to a bank. I spoke to branch manager Sarah Hicks and Customer Experience Consultant, Onis Linton to learn more. For me especially it was a special moment a few reasons: 🇪🇸 I have worked with Santander on a leadership programme. Having spoken to José Sotorrío Fdez.-Mijares, who at the time was the Work Café Manager for Malaga, I knew it was on the way to the UK. It was special to see this vision realised. 💳 I am myself a business banking customer of Santander and it’s made me reconsider how I engage with the bank. I certainly think I'll be visiting more, and so if you're in the area let's have a coffee catch up! 💲I strongly believe that there is much work to be done to make the world of making finance less daunting and more accessible to many.  Meeting people such as Sarah and Onis in such a welcoming environment will, I’m sure help so much in this respect. It was the social element which I was most impressed me; the fact that people were welcome to use the facilities whether they were customers or not. I always say that the best businesses combine a strong purpose with a workforce where people can bring their best selves to work. Which businesses have caught your eye recently? Santander Santander UK #WorkCafèLondonTritonSquare

In the management traineeship, our trainees get the chance to rotate and discover multiple roles & companies. Curious on what kind of roles or how they make an impact? We definitely love the post of Melanie Maes below as an example. Congrats on this beautiful assignment. Curious to hear how you'll use thedr learnings in your next one. #traineeship #rotation #discover #impact

Today, I had the opportunity to participate in a focus group at BBVA en Perú, and I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Sebastian Ponce and Ximena Gil Rivera for helping me reconnect with a core realization. During the session, we were asked several questions, but one stood out: "What is your goal?" At first, it seemed like a simple question, but it hit me hard, making me reflect on my journey and where I’ve been focusing my energy. My response was clear, yet profound: "I want to build something disruptive, something that changes the flow of the world." I know my strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities, and I’m confident this goal isn’t out of reach. I’ve always embraced thinking outside the box, and now that my goal is firmly in sight again, I know I’ll achieve it—sooner or later. The takeaway? No matter what you’re doing, don’t lose sight of your goal. And if you do, once you remember it, start working toward it again. It’ll be worth it in the end. #BBVAenPeru #WorkTowardYourGoal #CoreRealization

🌆 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲: 𝗔 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🚀 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲. It all started with a simple question from a colleague in the branch: “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?” By “up there,” she meant the high-rise offices where the data-driven magic happens - away from the day-to-day hustle of the branch. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁: Instead of just answering her question, I took her on a mini-tour of our world. I explained how we take mountains of data in the banking world and turn it into stories that drive real decisions, customer experiences, and value. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰: Her eyes lit up with curiosity as she realised the possibilities beyond what she knew. It was a conversation that opened her mind to a new dimension of work - one full of potential, growth, and learning. As a senior member of staff, I felt a sense of satisfaction akin to that of a teacher watching a student grasp a new concept. 𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮; 𝘄𝗲 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. ✨ Key takeaways: ✔️ 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵: Never underestimate the power of asking questions and sharing what you know.  ✔️ 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: It's not just about teaching a skill, it’s about sparking new ideas and opening doors to new possibilities.  ✔️ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝘄𝗼-𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁: I learned just as much from this interaction as she did. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂? 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘆? 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 - 𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 "𝗔𝗵𝗮!" 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. #DataDriven #CareerGrowth #Mentorship #WorkplaceCulture Santander UK #Opportunities #Inspiration #LearningJourney

🕰️ Throwback Thursday Alert in London 🔄! More than a quarter of a century has whisked by since I spent my days working on the eleventh floor of this iconic building in 125 London Wall (the one that is built over the roadway). That was a time when I embarked on an enriching journey with a traineeship in the London desk of the Austrian bank Creditanstalt (which has since merged into Unicredit Bank Austria). Despite the years, the building stands almost unchanged, a testament to time's gentle passing, unlike the leaps and bounds by which I've grown personally. 🏦✨   Recently, I had the delightful opportunity to take my teenage kids to see this very place. It was more than a stroll down memory lane; it was a lesson in history, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams against the odds. I shared with them how, back in that days, a mobile phone was an appliance affordable only for few people. Applications were mailed – yes, with stamps and everything! Maps were paper, not pixels, and finding a place to live wasn't as easy as a few clicks. 📬🗺️   Coming from a household without academic accolades or a passport filled with stamps, I wanted my kids to understand: curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to embrace challenges can pave the way to incredible journeys. 🚀   This visit was more than nostalgia; it was a teaching moment. It was about showing them that despite technological leaps and societal shifts, the core ingredients for success remain unchanged - curiosity, determination, and the courage to step into the unknown. 🌟   So, to anyone reading this, let my little #TBT serve as a reminder: the world is vast, opportunities are endless, and your current circumstances are not your final destination. If there's something out there calling to you, whether it's professionally or personally, give it a shot. 💼🌍   #LifelongLearning #ThrowbackThursday #PersonalDevelopment

How attractive is ING as an employer in a labour market that is competitive? ING is the highest ranked bank in The Netherlands at number 7 as favorite employer. A great score we can be proud of! Research agency Intelligence Group has annualised this for 2023. A total of 15,651 people were questioned about their preference towards 760 employers. #ING #Careers #Banking #LabourMarket #Research #Employer #Branding

I am excited to share that out of 3000+ participants from 12 countries, I was among the few selected to complete the 12-week Santander X Explorer pre-incubation program. This intensive experience included 96 hours of rigorous training, covering essential entrepreneurial skills and knowledge in line with Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Here's a snapshot of the key training we received each week: Week 1: Time management, team dynamics, and ethics. Week 2: Identifying problems and understanding target personas. Week 3: Crafting a compelling value proposition. Weeks 4-5: Establishing hypotheses and designing experiments. Weeks 6-7: Constructing and testing a minimum viable product (MVP). Weeks 8-9: Building landing pages and validating hypotheses. Week 10: Developing a robust business model. Week 11: Navigating pricing strategies, finance, and funding. Week 12: Learning the art of storytelling and pitching. Link: https://lnkd.in/ejUWR64k This program has been an incredible learning journey, a big shout out to all the co-participants and the Santander organising team!

Thursday the 28th of March marked my last day at New10. Also after more than 12,5 years my good marriage with ABN AMRO Bank N.V. and one of its daughters (that sounds a bit weird, but nothing weird in this context 😅 ) ended. It all started in september 2011 in the midst of the financial crisis with an awesome group of just graduated 'trainees'. Challenging times where on top of that two banks, former ABN AMRO and Fortis, had to become one. Starting with the group of trainees was really the best start I could imagine with so many intelligent and fun people. Some of them became friends for life, a huge 'bonus' that I never imagined upfront. I did many fun assignments, saw different parts of the bank and even got to work in Singapore for three months during my traineeship. Also, starting (and later ending) my first own company with fellow trainee David de Weerd, designing and launching our own watch brand, was something that was a side effect of working at the bank that probably would never have happened else. I saw many great departments within the bank, met even more great people, learned a lot, was able to try out and take responsibility, able to advice lots of people on data and innovation and got to make the step towards for me the most fun part of the bank, New10. There I got the full responsibility of everything that had to do with payments, and on top of that I became a real Mambu champion ;-). Fun times where I learned a lot and also was able to do and change a lot. The culture of New10 is something unique, a place where truly everyone can succeed. Not just that, it is the most welcoming warm bunch of people you can wish for in your work life...and maybe even generally in life. Two years ago I signed for my contract end date taking a 'career switch arrangement' that is part of the Collective Labor Agreement of ABN AMRO. This meant I would work for two years only two days at New10 and dedicate the rest of my time to my own company, berg & maan. One of the many great opportunities ABN AMRO and New10 also have to offer. Now it is time for new chapters in my life. A new chapter already started with the birth of our son Olav last autumn. When it comes the work, the idea was to fully focus on berg & maan but something new and super exciting came on my path... but more about that later! I want to thank all the great colleagues and friends I met at ABN AMRO and New10. The are simply way too many people to mention all of them in person and I would surely forget to mention people as well. THANK YOU to all of you who helped me becoming the person I am today 🙏