This week’s guest is Veronica Vander Hoeven, Managing Director of People Strategy at MUFG Investor Services based in Dublin. Veronica began her career unintentionally when she took the boat over to London post-leaving certificate with the intention to travel around Europe before she returned to Ireland to get her qualification. What she found in London instead was her first job, in the women’s magazine Best in a role in their art department. Having grown up with a creative father, who was a graphic designer, Veronica hoped to unlock her own creativity in this role with Best magazine. She quickly realised she did not possess her father’s artistic skills but continued to work at the magazine for a year, enjoying the atmosphere and admin work she was tasked with. She then moved on to a different publishing company where she got to experience being sent to Paris. She eventually decided to return to Ireland and got a job as an envelope stuffer at the Bank of Ireland. During her time there she actively volunteered for leadership roles within the department and soon was referred to a firm of accountants called Bastow Charlteon which was her first move into the realm of financial services. After her time there she moved to Bisys Fund Services and it was here that her career really took off. She moved into a role around HR and after moving to and returning from Holland, in 2011 joined MUFG as a Human Resources Manager and rose up the ranks to hold her current position as Managing Director of People Strategy in 2018. James sits with Veronica to discuss her career, the changes and challenges it brought her and the advice she would give to those thinking of following a similar path.
