Louise Åkerberg, an Associate at Niam Credit, participated in an internal exchange, spending a semester with our Niam Infrastructure team. Her goal was to learn more about infrastructure investments and how they differ from real estate and credit. The exchange gave her new insights and helped her contribute even more to both teams.
My role has grown over the years and today I am involved in both lending operations and project management. This includes having initial dialogues with clients, whether existing or new, and working with a small team to handle the entire lending process, from internal preparations to legal processes, and finally, disbursing the loan.
Our work peaks during the underwriting process, where we assess the borrower's creditworthiness to determine loan qualifications, terms, and interest rates. Given my 5 years at Niam Credit, I also assist our loan management team in handling follow-ups during the loan's term, ensuring agreements are maintained and address any deviations.
At Niam Credit, a team of 12, flexibility is key. In addition to being involved in the loan process, my role includes engaging in discussions about new business ideas, long-term development, and collaborating with our sustainability managers on ESG projects.
I enjoy working in teams and analysing cases, especially when they present a challenge and require us to find the best solution for all parties and still present an attractive investment for the funds. The combination of analysing both technical, economic, environmental and legal aspects of the investments, along with negotiating with clients, is the best part of my job.
Learning the negotiation process has been incredibly rewarding, thanks to my mentors who allowed me to participate in and observe how negotiations are conducted and understand the dynamics involved. This mentorship-driven learning chain deserves great respect and is crucial for our long-term business success.
During spring/summer of 2024, I have worked 40% at Niam Infrastructure. The team had communicated they could benefit from additional support during several parallel financing processes. I was keen to learn more about the dynamics of infrastructure investments and to understand how they differed from my previous experience in real estate and credit. I joined when Niam Infrastructure started negotiating with various banks. Although having to learn a new product, my experience from Niam Credit loan negotiations was very useful. The purpose of the exchange was for me to assist on negotiation strategies from a bank perspective and help compile financing-related aspects of projects. Joining Niam Infrastructure has allowed me to step into unfamiliar territory, which I enjoy, especially since it involved ESG-focused investments.
An exchange is a win-win, benefiting both Niam as a whole and me as an individual. As a result, I’ve gained new perspectives and skills, contributing more effectively to both teams.
It is a win-win, benefiting both Niam as a whole and me as an individual. It showcases Niam’s ability to adapt and leverage employee strengths across different areas and roles, encouraging a stimulating and growth-oriented workplace. As a result, I’ve gained new perspectives and skills, contributing more effectively to both teams.
To thrive in an exchange, you must embrace trying new things, integrating into a new team and navigating the learning curve of unfamiliar processes – you have to throw yourself into the challenge. Reflect each day on your progress: "I've learned a little more than yesterday." Rather than being stuck in routine, appreciate the opportunity to gain diverse perspectives.
