Student testimonial
Ian - MSc Management, Economics, and Consumer Studies - Norinchukin Bank Europe - July 2023
Ian studied Management, Economics, and Consumer Studies at WUR and did his thesis at Norinchukin Bank Europe. After graduating, he now works there in the credit risk management department. Read all about his story!
I am very excited to be a part of the sustainability initiative and apply my university knowledge into making a real difference.
Hi fellow students! My name is Ian and I’m an American that came to the Netherlands through Wageningen University on a mission to learn about sustainability from the country that does it best. When I first arrived I truly didn’t know anyone or where I was going, it was an intimidating adventure. During my studies I worked hard to “find my people” and get well connected with professors and advisors. I’m sure glad I did because the mentorship and connections I made at WUR were life changing.
By the end of my first year, I was well adjusted to Dutch living and had found a chair group to do my thesis with. The chair group (Business Economics Chair group, BEC) saw that my macroeconomic and sustainability interests would be valuable in the banking sector, and thus connected me to Norinchukin Bank. The young Amsterdam office of this Japanese bank hosted me for my thesis, where I learned all about the practical side of my research. Today, after graduating from WUR, I am working at this bank in the credit risk management department. Before joining I didn’t know what this role was all about, but I trusted the bank and appreciated their values and joined.
Today I have two main roles: 1) study the macroeconomic climate of the world and 2) help the bank develop policies and procedures for ESG reporting. Believe it or not, banks have a significant role in sustainability and in a few years the European Central Bank and Dutch regulators are going to require banks to report their contributions to both sustainability and emissions. This is work I am passionate about. I am very excited to be a part of the sustainability initiative and apply my university knowledge into making a real difference.
It’s okay to be scared about the future, it can be intimidating. What’s important is finding your passion, connecting with your community, and putting your best effort into being who you are and can be.
If I could give some advice to students that may be nervous about what’s to come, I would tell them that it’s okay to be scared about the future, it can be intimidating. What’s important is finding your passion, connecting with your community, and putting your best effort into being who you are and can be. Never forget your values and surround yourself with those who have the same.