Daan Witte

Daan Witte thrives on the complexity of the insurance sector. But that’s not what made him join NN in September 2023. “There are many leading players in the financial sector. But what I liked about NN is the sincerity about NN’s role in society and the transparency. I knew what I signed up for.” Daan takes us on his exciting and challenging journey at the Netherlands’ largest insurer.

Making an impact

After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering & Management in Rotterdam, Daan completed his master’s in Strategic Management at Tilburg University. He knew he wanted to work in the financial industry but wasn’t sure about the role. Opting for the two-year Business & Transformation traineeship at NN, he spent the first six months at NN Life & Pensions. “With the support of business experts, I immersed myself in the dynamics of insurance, and developed and implemented a plan to further drive efficiency in the area of tailor-made products. This plan is currently being executed. It goes to show the impact you can make as a trainee.”

Work-abroad assignment

For his second six-month rotation, Daan joined NN Poland. “Working and living abroad means leaving your bubble. I quickly connected with new people and invested in getting to know their values and beliefs. I also learned about the culture by travelling the country. It takes cultural awareness, social skills, adaptability, and a strong will to thrive abroad. It was a unique experience and I had an amazing time.”

Daan also took away an important lesson from his assignment. “To implement change, you need people to be committed. For me, this meant learning about their values and adapting to their ways of working to gain credibility. I also worked together with local management to drive adoption.”

Accelerating professional growth

“Thanks to this traineeship, I have developed a lot in just one year. I very much believe that personal development is the key to accelerating professional growth. To grow professionally, you need to have adaptive power, be able to reflect, and be focused.”

At NN, trainees embark on a steep learning curve with extensive training and coaching. “I have a strong rapport with my mentor, who is a senior leader. He knows how to challenge me to do even better and gives valuable advice,” says Daan. He also values the connection with his fellow trainees. “We’re all very ambitious and eager to learn. As we’re on the same wavelength, it’s easy to share experiences and learn from each other.”

Changing perspectives

Daan has recently started working in Strategy & Transformation at Non-Life. Rather than applying for an operational team lead role, he opted to work on big-impact projects. These projects may range from providing strategic guidance for different business lines to developing data and AI-driven processes for better customer experiences.

“I’ve discovered that I thrive on collaborating with both experts and managers and deep-diving into complex issues. It allows me to both enhance my understanding of the business and develop my personal leadership skills. More and more, I’m growing my expertise and finding my way in this company. The sheer size of NN, the complexity of insurance, and our pioneering role in harnessing data and AI provide me with countless ways to learn and grow.”

Massive opportunities

“This traineeship offers massive opportunities to those who grasp them. It opens doors that would otherwise remain closed. You get to work abroad, build a network of experts and leaders in different parts of the company, and evolve personally and professionally, supported by a unique safety net of buddies, coaches, and mentors.”

Daan continues, “I also fully subscribe to NN’s ‘supporter of change’ drive to enhance people’s wellbeing. And as a keen runner, I intend to participate in some of the NN-sponsored running events.”