After deciding to study abroad, Kevin Lu left his home country China. Interested in learning new languages and cultures, he moved from China to Singapore and then from Singapore to the south of France. At the end of his Master’s in Finance & International Banking, Kevin was still fascinated by the idea of working in an international environment and applied to Banque Internationale à Luxembourg (BIL) as a trainee within the Strategy & Corporate Development department to complete his final year internship.
Kevin stayed at BIL to build his career and now, more than two years later, is a Project Officer within the Strategy & Corporate Development department.
1. Why did you decide to join BIL?
With limited knowledge and experience of the banking sector at the time, I did the internship to learn more about the organisation as well as the sector.
During this six-month internship, I gained genuine insights that ultimately led to my decision to join BIL as a full-time employee in the same department. I was particularly attracted to the long-term career development opportunities (international presence, multiple business lines and variety of roles).
Furthermore, I joined during an exciting period for BIL where multiple strategic initiatives were launched, and where a new dynamic was brought by Legend Holdings. My position allowed me to be involved in a number of interesting projects, such as strategy implementation, M&A, international development and tactical studies.
The friendly working environment was an additional bonus that cemented my decision to stay at BIL.
2. How would you describe BIL in just two or three words?
“Diverse” and “forward-looking” are the keywords I would choose to describe BIL.
BIL is diverse from different perspectives. As a universal bank, BIL serves a large and diverse clientele by offering a wide range of products and services. Internally, BIL has a diverse employee base, attracting people from different countries, cultural backgrounds and academic disciplines.
I also see BIL as a forward-looking organisation. In today’s rapidly changing market, BIL proactively looks ahead to the future, identifies opportunities, anticipates clients’ expectations, and adapts its strategies accordingly. This is especially reflected in the field of innovation, where BIL finances and invests in start-ups, supports the local innovation community through partnerships with incubators and accelerators, and organises dedicated events to foster innovation.
3. What are you most proud of?
In short, the long history combined with the forward-looking attitude of BIL. As the oldest Luxembourgish private banking group, BIL has gained countless achievements over the past 162 years that we can all be proud of. The one thing I would like to mention specifically would be our continuous dedication and ambition in reinforcing the “client-centric” approach. Working in the Strategy department, I have experienced first-hand the efforts and progress made by everyone in bringing the most suitable products and services to our clients.
Prioritising the “client-centric” strategy, giving high importance to feedback from our clients, and improving the client experience through optimisation of client journeys are just the “tip of the iceberg” of our efforts. Being part of the driving force that brings added value to clients provides fulfilment on both a day-to-day basis and in my career.
4. Can you describe three qualities that you need in your job, and tell us what you think is most important
for a successful career at BIL?
As mentioned previously, what attracts me to BIL is its diverse and inclusive corporate culture. To me, “team spirit”, “open-mindedness” and “professional conduct” would be the three essential qualities needed in my job at BIL.
Obviously, these qualities reflect only a part of the “success formula”. Like any other organisation, solid technical skills, a hard-working attitude, dedication and other qualities would also play an important role.
If I had to choose one most important quality for a successful career at BIL, it would be “open-mindedness”. In order to fit in in today’s rapidly changing and globalised world, it is crucial to be open to change in order to better adapt, be open to discussion in order to foster cooperation, and be open to different ideas, empowering a growth mindset and collective intelligence.
5. How would you describe the future of the Strategy department and the global ambitions of BIL?
BIL aims to pursue its BIL 2020 Reloaded strategic plan and ultimately become one of the leading universal banks in Luxembourg with a competitive advantage based on innovation and superior technologies, while reinforcing its international expansion in selected key markets.
I believe that the future of the Strategy department is directly linked with the global ambitions of BIL – we need to assist and work hand-in-hand with the different business lines to ensure the achievement of each strategic milestone.