BECOME A... 

BANKER

Company: Societe Generale

Name:  Hannah MacKenzie

Position: Senior Project Manager / Business Analyst

find out what it's like to work in banking from Hannah Mackenzie, who works with international bank, societe generale.

Have you always wanted to work in Banking?

Coming to work in the city was purely by accident. At school, the careers advice was limited and working in the city wasn’t even a consideration.  After being in the right place at the right time, I found out about a role at the London Metal Exchange.  I began my city career running their website and 13 years later, I am now an expert on the Global metals markets.



What then led you to apply for Societe Generale?

I was head-hunted into a role as a Project Manager within the Commodities Operations team.  I have been lucky in that virtually all of my career moves have been instigated through personal contacts and networking.  



What do you do at Societe Generale?

 I am a hybrid project manager and business analyst working on a large integration project for the bank.  I work closely with the business and other support functions to define, scope, develop and implement a successful project which will bring two entities together.



What kind of opportunities have you had within Societe Generale to get where you are now?

 I have been able to move up through the ranks of my department every couple of years.  I also took a short career break in 2013 when I did a period of active service with the Royal Navy which Societe Generale fully supported.  On my return to work in 2014, I was given the opportunity to work on a new project  with a focus on my area of expertise in Commodities Operations.



What is the working environment like at Societe Generale?  

There is a really good work-life balance at Societe Generale.  The bank provides a range of training and development opportunities to all staff. It also fully supports CSR and Diversity initiatives so there is plenty to do beyond your day to day work if you want to. As well as volunteering for local community projects and fundraising for charity you can also get involved with our employee network groups including LGBT, multi-cultural, family and Equilibrium, our inclusion network.



Can you give one piece of advice to a woman considering a career in Banking?

Be yourself, be driven and enthusiastic and don’t be scared to be ambitious.  The city is a very different place now and equality is more prevalent than in the past. 



What has been your main achievement since joining Societe Generale?  

Being promoted to Head of Commodities Operations in 2012 and leading a fantastic team made up of people with a range of experiences. Also, being nominated as a Corporate Rising Star at the British LGBT Awards 2015 for my work in the LGBT space was special too.



What advice would you give to someone looking to apply to Societe Generale?

​ In your CV and cover letter you should highlight your own “X Factor” – what makes you different compared to other candidates.  Qualifications are great but, good life SKILLS and work experience are a must.