Linda Kleeven, Business & Information Consultant

“As a Business & Information consultant, I work at the cutting edge of IT and pensions. This sector is undergoing many and ongoing changes both internally as well as in response to legislation and regulations, and I focus particularly how those changes impact people’s entitlements. I help advise funds and employers' and employees' organizations through such things as identifying the effects of a change on the level or duration of the various products, and on the options people have. How do unusual situations arise and how can these be resolved? And at the Business Improvement & Change department, we then realize appropriate solutions for this in our systems and processes.

Now, with the Future Pensions Act, major changes are in the pipeline and all pension providers are working on this. The great thing is that I can get involved at the decision-making phase as well as ensure that, once taken, a decision is realized. If something is included in the pension regulations, I can develop this further and make sure that processes and systems are amended accordingly. This combination is one of the best things about my work. It makes it extremely varied. It’s certainly not boring but is rather surprisingly diverse and dynamic.

If you put me in a booth behind a computer, I’d be miserable. I’m someone who enjoys working in teams toward a certain result, based on content. I can do that really well at APG. You introduce each change together, working with so many colleagues from different teams. An important part of my job is connecting those various parties - lawyers, actuaries, and account managers, and system developers and project managers - to make sure they understand each other. And there are also days in which I’m mainly involved in calculating, puzzling, devising solutions, and analyzing. So I can express my nerdy side too; I love it.

I’ve been working here for twenty-two years now. When I started my internship, at that time at ABP, I was just happy I could start somewhere. I’d never expected that I’d be enjoying it so much, so many years later. This is partly because I’ve always been able to do all kinds of training and courses to further develop myself. Most recently I did my master’s in management science and the WFT (Financial Supervision Act) modules in wealth and pensions. Something new always came across my path, which kept it challenging. Time flies when you’ve got great work and great colleagues.

For me, it’s also important to work on something I believe in. It’s a fantastic thing to have a level of income security if you become disabled, older, or for your surviving dependents if you die. I personally consider collectivity and solidarity in our pension system to be vital, as is sharing risks together. I hope this remains the case in the future too: That’s really important to me.”