Jana Twesten: From Sparkasse Lüneburg to Indonesia
1. In which institution of the Sparkassen Finance Group did you start your career and what brought you to the Sparkasse?
I began my career in the Sparkassen Finance Group in 2009. At the time, I was looking for an opportunity to combine a business degree with ongoing practical experience. I found the ideal package for me at Sparkasse Lüneburg: a dual study program at the university of the Sparkassen Finance Group with parallel assignments in the various sales and operational areas of Sparkasse Lüneburg. This training model gave me a valuable and comprehensive insight into the functions and operations of a credit institution.
2. How long did you work for this institution? Please describe your Sparkassen-career briefly.
I have worked for Sparkasse Lüneburg for over 12 years to date. During this time, I have been able to gain experience in various areas. My Sparkassen career began during my dual studies as a customer advisor. This was followed by positions as an officer in sales strategy and control as well as in quality management. For the past 2.5 years - before I began working at German Sparkassenstiftung - I was head of the office of the board of management at Sparkasse Lüneburg and at the same time worked as press spokeswoman.
3. When did you start your career at German Sparkassenstiftung and what motivated you to work in international cooperation?
I am still a very fresh member of the German Sparkassenstiftung team since I only joined in October 2021. My motivation for working in international cooperation is the idea of sharing my (Sparkassen) expertise worldwide and thus contributing to providing access to financial knowledge and products to all people. Financial knowledge and financial products are not yet easily accessible in many regions of our world. At the same time, it forms an important basis for building a sustainable livelihood.
In short, by locally sharing my Sparkassen expertise in countries worldwide, I can help improve people's quality of life. The people really are my greatest motivator in this.
4. What valuable experience have you taken with you from your work at Sparkassen Finance Group to your project region?
During my time at Sparkasse Lüneburg I have worked in various business areas: From customer advisory services to sales management, project management, and press and public relations. I also had the opportunity to work in managerial positions. This has given me a comprehensive insight into various facets of the Sparkassen business, which helps me a lot in my day-to-day work at German Sparkassenstiftung. The more extensive the competencies and experience of our team on site, the more holistically we can advise and support our project partners.
You can learn more about our projects in Indonesia here.
