'The best way to learn is by teaching'

Manuel Mazarredo -
Auditor, Ethical Hacker, Black Belt, Ironman and father

Protecting people

‘I’ve always wanted to help people in whatever way I can. I used to be a project manager and in that role I ensured that people could get the best out of themselves so that we could make the project a success. Helping people is what I did in my volunteer work in Central America. It was about education, people and not just money, but teaching the right knowledge and skills for them to constructively and continuously improve.’

‘When I returned, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to join a large organisation such as NN. What I didn’t know at the time was that as an Auditor and Ethical Hacker, you’re also helping people. The goal is to create security for our customers and our colleagues and so for NN itself. The NN systems have to be robust enough for us to protect people’s finances, data and their privacy.’

Creating extreme conditions

‘During an audit, I ask questions to check whether processes, systems and the people who work with them are doing what they have to do. As an Ethical Hacker, I go a step further and I really test systems and people to the extremes. ‘Does it work in extreme conditions?’ is the question that I really ask and to answer those questions, I literally act like a criminal. I try to break into systems, data centres or sometimes just the office in the light of day, both digitally and physically. How people react shows how well prepared NN is for real criminality.’

‘I also help colleagues to make improvements. It’s not about finger-pointing, it’s about solving problems. That’s why I’m always probing. I can easily ask the why question five times. It’s sometimes pretty irritating, but that’s the only way you get to the nub of the problem and so find a good solution. People need to get out of their comfort zones for this. For me, a comfort zone is the same as laziness, getting out of it means growth.’
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Pushing the limits

‘I also like to push myself to extremes. I firmly believe that you can always do more than you think and that you can only develop if you challenge yourself, both physically and mentally. For example, I’ve completed several Ironman triathlons. The discipline and perseverance you need for an event like this are useful in life, as well as at work. I like to show people that everything is possible and that you can learn an incredible amount from pushing your limits. Whether that’s your own limits or the limits of an organisation or another system. It shows you where the shortcomings are, how you can become stronger and it teaches you to trust in yourself, or in the thing you’re pushing your limits for. Training for a triathlon is similar to conducting audits because in both cases you’re preparing for a really tough challenge. You’re training mind and body for a huge battle and you’re preparing people and an organisation for potentially the worst. Good preparation is half the battle.’
 
‘Another sport I enjoy and one that I’ve been doing for 33 years is judo. While a triathlon is a solo endeavour, judo is about interplay; the right movement at the right time, using the strength of your opponent, just like during a hack really. I also like to teach my son judo, mainly because it’s also about having respect for other people and about discipline and control. It’s a life lesson I’d like to teach him.’

Doing the right thing

‘I find it fascinating to discover how much similarity there is between work and home life. Of course, you’re a person who does what’s important to you. And sometimes you take your work home with you or you take what’s happening at home into work. I want to do the right thing in both situations, that’s how I was brought up. If I discover that my wife or other family members have a weak password, I encourage them to change it. And if I’m in a restaurant or at an airport and I notice an unattended computer, I get twitchy. I don’t touch anything of course, but I do look for the owner to give him or her a few words of unsolicited advice. I just can’t leave it.’
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Meet more colleagues ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Aafke Croockewit - UX Designer, DJ and Kitesurfer
‘I started at NN as a freelance UX designer. I really value freedom, creativity and responsibility and they aren’t things you immediately associate with a large corporate. That prejudice was quickly dispelled. I work in a team with other designers and developers. We’re like an independent unit in the organisation. We set our own work and are given lots of room to innovate. The projects are very varied and you can decide whether you spend more time on concept development or on implementation. And because we all get on so well together as a team there’s a great atmosphere. All in all, reason enough for me to give up the freelance life. And I’ve got a lot of benefits in return.’​​​​
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Praveen Sridharan - Trainee and Entrepreneur
'A couple of years ago, I was drinking tea with my best friend in my home country of India. We were philosophising about how we could give something back to the world. This ultimately led to a solar energy start-up. I deliberately chose to set up a company in India because I can really make a difference there. The Netherlands is way ahead when it comes to solar energy. In India, there’s still not much awareness of climate change and how we can combat it. We developed a business model to make solar energy financially more accessible.'
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Erik Ammerlaan - Full Stack Engineer and organist
‘From a young age, I’ve had a fascination with programming. I wrote my first code when I was eight years old. So, I knew early on that I wanted to do something with computers when I was older. I found and still find it interesting how technology can help make people’s lives easier and better. For example, at secondary school, I developed an electronic learning environment where teachers could put their teaching material for the students. It was an asset for the school because it saved a lot of time.’
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Celine Chua - Finance Program Manager and an explorer
‘The drive to keep on discovering is a common thread in my life. I’ve always travelled a lot and I absolutely love learning about other cultures. I come from Singapore, but one of my favourite cities is Hong Kong: chaotic, mysterious and full of energy. It’s perfect for explorers like me. I moved to the Netherlands for love. It was a difficult step, but I saw it as an adventure. A new and inspiring world opened up to me. Fortunately, I still have a lot of contact with my family and we see each other about three times a year. And, besides, discovery can also be found in smaller things. I’m curious and like to try new things, whether it’s a recently opened restaurant or a new sport.’
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Samy Saleh - Compliance Officer, son and soccer player
‘Football has been my big passion since I was a child. It’s taught me to collaborate, communicate, win, but also lose and handle setbacks. I’m the connector in a team. As a mid-fielder, I maintain an overview and am able to persuade. My football skills also come in handy at work. As a Compliance Officer, I bring different parties and interests together, give advice and help people get on the right track. It starts with observing from the side-lines and ends with a good outcome for all stakeholders. Playing sports with a varied group of people has taught me to get on with lots of different characters. By communicating and listening carefully, I try and ensure that we are aiming for the same goal.’
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Jolanda Roos - IT colleagues, friends and running blind team mates
‘Sport means a lot to Paul and Sandor, both individually and together. Sandor: ‘Running helps me to structure my thoughts. After a quarter of an hour, I get into my stride and can think about things at the same time. Paul: ‘During a trip to Romania, I decided to go running with Sandor. At seven in the morning, we were ready to set off on a three-kilometre run.’ Their open communication style comes in handy when they are running. Sandor: ‘Running with somebody with a visual impairment is pretty intensive. You suddenly become aware of other things: loose paving stones, kerbs, tree roots. I’m constantly telling Paul what’s ahead of him.’
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Prashant Jarbandhan - Financial Accountant, uncle and a father to his younger brother
'I was a father figure to my brother, but also his best friend. I’ve always encouraged him to develop. He’s just become a father himself and I’m incredibly proud of him. My role as uncle gives me an extra incentive to get the best out of myself, to be the kind of uncle I want to be. Life is about trial and error and that’s something we know more than most. That’s why I’ve created a good safety net for myself and my family and friends play a very important part in it. But so do my colleagues at NN, who have now also become my friends.’ 
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Alex Verdoorn | Business Process Manager and a people person
‘For me, the glass is always half full: I look for opportunities, not obstacles. I get a huge kick out of getting people on board and making improvements in a difficult process. NN focuses on people, exactly as I do. I realised this when shortly after starting at NN my mother died. NN gave me all the time I needed to organise everything and to process my grief. It was genuinely heart-warning how this was handled. It immediately have me a sense of engagement with and loyalty to NN and my colleagues.’
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Stephanie Braun | Performance Specialist and mother of two
'I live in Amstelveen with my two teenagers, Freek and Guusje, and our dog, Bo. At first sight, it’s an average family scene, but Freek is a child with care needs. So, as a single mother with a busy job and a child with care needs, I’ve got a lot on my plate. That’s why creativity is important to me. To be able to organise everything and to be a good carer to Freek, I need to think in terms of possibilities. That’s what creativity is to me. I firmly believe that there’s a solution for everything. Sometimes I have the solution - because I’m a real go-getter - and sometimes the solution comes from surrounding yourself with the right people. I also see that reflected in my work.’
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Jolanda Roos | Performance Manager Risk Management, Kilimanjaro Climber and private island owner
‘When I was little, I wanted to join the police. Over the years, I became fascinated by detective series and documentaries on the Discovery Channel. I really wanted to be a forensic investigator. I get satisfaction from solving difficult puzzles and the more complex the better. When everyone gives up, that’s when the challenge starts for me. I didn’t become a detective, but in my work at NN there are enough puzzles for me and my team to try and solve.’
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