Quinten Damy de Koning

As a Business & Transformation Trainee at NN Group, Quinten Damy is discovering just how versatile his career can be. With a background in design, he started a program that not only exposed him to new and challenging roles, but also helped him gain fresh insights into himself. “You don’t need to be a specialist from day one to add value,” he says. From the headquarters in the Netherlands to an adventure in Brussels, Quinten Damy explains how the traineeship gives him room to experiment, grow and, most importantly, take on responsibilities you rarely get as a junior. 

From the world of design to the world of business 
“I come from the world of digital design,” Quinten Damy begins. “After studying Industrial Design Engineering and Design for Interaction, I worked at a design agency for a year and a half. But I wanted to increase my impact by being involved in the implementation of innovation. The Business & Transformation Traineeship gave me that opportunity. Every Trainee joined the group with a different background and brought their own perspective or way of working. For me, that meant I could apply my design perspective in a completely new environment.” 

A traineeship as a springboard to new opportunities 
Why Quinten Damy chose a traineeship? “I didn’t want to get stuck in one role at this early phase in my career. I simply wasn’t done learning. And I wanted to explore what else exists beyond design agencies. There, after I delivered my work, I had to start a new project soon after. Because I was not involved after that point, I was rarely able to see the impact my work made. At NN, my work truly comes to life. The plan I wrote during my first rotation? That plan actually became reality. It’s nice to be able to see the impact I make in my role.” 

One traineeship, three assignments 
Business & Transformation is one of the three tracks of the traineeship that NN offers. In this track, the six Trainees are expected to complete three rotations, each with their own assignment: two of six months and one of a year. “Your first assignment is based on who you are and what you want to discover. After that, you choose your own assignment. With your trainee manager at first, but later mainly on your own. What challenges am I looking for? Where do I thrive?” In his current assignment at NN’s subsidiary BeFrank, Quinten Damy takes the key business process to the next level. “By outlining the current processes and integrating them into an AI knowledge base, I use my design expertise to challenge the status quo. It’s a perfect way to use my design background for a broader purpose.” 

An adventure in Brussels 
A special highlight for Quinten Damy was his international rotation. “There were several options, such as Madrid or Japan. I chose not to express a preference. I believe that every combination of new culture, context, and assignment brings its own unique challenges. Ultimately, Brussels was the destination assigned to me; a lively city full of new opportunities. You really don’t need to go to Bali to find yourself; Brussels works just as well. New people, new languages, no friends to fall back on… that does something to you. For instance, I discovered that I actually enjoy cooking, but that cooking for just yourself can be pretty boring,” he laughs. “And that it's good not to overthink everything, and to wander around just to see what the city brings you.” 

A new culture brings new insights 
The work culture surprised him. “Brussels might only be a two-hour drive; it feels much further away. The people were very friendly and welcomed me with open arms, but they were a bit more reserved than I’m used to with my Dutch colleagues. Perhaps that’s because I came from the Dutch headquarters. Also, French isn’t my strongest language, so I often had to express myself professionally in English. That’s when I realized that professional communication isn’t just about language, but mostly about understanding the culture and how people approach things.” His role in Brussels was anything but small: “I became the business manager for a director, and had a role within the Project Management Office for an international program implementing new software. Those are opportunities you don’t just get as a junior.” 

Support from every direction 
When it comes to development at NN, Quinten Damy is clear: “The organisation feels like a safety net.” Everything you might need is available. I can learn more about my work field, or I can dive into topics like personal leadership. “The best part is that your development path evolves with you. Your journey is adapted to who you are. Everyone follows a different path, and there’s always a colleague ready to help. Support comes from all directions.”