Zakaria Driouech, Finance & Risk trainee
“I've always been interested in finance and enjoy working with numbers. So after graduating in Mechanical Engineering I switched to Econometrics. The Master's degree in Econometrics offered a mix of mathematics and finance: an enjoyable challenge for me. Whilst I was studying, someone from APG gave us a guest lecture. APG is less well known among students, but I saw a major international player with a focus on sustainable investment. It all sounded very interesting, so I went to see what the organization had to offer. That placed APG on the list of companies I wanted to apply to. But there were others on the list because I was also interested in banking. I was offered a job by a bank, but I turned it down because I wanted to move more towards risk management. I didn't have anything else waiting, but I'm good at making choices. If I have doubts, I don't go ahead. Family and friends asked me ‘what on earth are you doing?’, but I prefer to start somewhere that immediately appeals to me.
I applied to APG for a permanent position in investment risk. I didn’t have the necessary experience, but they asked if I was interested in a traineeship. That seemed like a great option because you get to experience the different areas of risk management. This way I can better judge up what suits me best, gain valuable experience and make the right choices. An option I didn't want to pass up.
