With a team of specialists covering a wide range of technology, web services, research, development and corporate functions in Bucharest, London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) Romania, the service centre of the London Stock Exchange, plays a key role in providing services to the entire group and to clients around the world.
The LSEG team in Romania, led by Andreea Stănescu, strongly believes that the impact of the local hub on global financial markets is an excellent opportunity for technology industry professionals. With the accelerated growth of the Bucharest hub, LSEG offers its employees significant opportunities for career development and professional growth.
AngajatorulMeu.ro: Two decades ago, Romania was almost invisible on the global technology map. Things are completely different now. What has changed in the meantime and what are Romania’s strengths today, compared to other areas of the world?
ANDREEA STĂNESCU: Romania has made excellent use of the intellectual potential and technical skills existing in the country. The IT industry has reached a significant increase in GDP – from 4% to 6,2% in a decade – and to position itself as a provider of complex solutions. The reputation of Romanian engineers is now recognized and there is a lot of interest from the companies present in the market to grow their business here and from others to enter the market. Strenghts? In addition to native talent and tendency towards technology, the Romanian universities manage to produce elites in this field, and, not to be neglected, the leadership skills on the local market give confidence to investors to develop businesses in Romania and deliver complex solutions.
What are the main services you provide? How has LSEG’s business evolved on the Romanian market? How important is the local market to your company?
From the opening in 2018 until today, our Technology Center in Bucharest has gained an excellent reputation within the Group. It’s all because of our colleagues that have great technical skills and exemplary professionalism. At this moment, the Center in Bucharest has become a strategic location. We have plans for accelerated growth and we will continue to expand the existing projects and bring new ones that we will deliver entirely from Bucharest or we will collaborate with colleagues from other locations.
What would the ideal candidate for LSEG look like? Are technical or interpersonal qualities more important?
Both technical and interpersonal qualities are equally important. Taking into account the solutions delivered by LSEG, we are a key player in the financial market infrastructure. This implies that both in the development of solutions and in their operation, people must know what they have to do, intervene quickly, think strategically, understand the client’s needs and understand the impact of their actions and decisions in relation to the client and the company.
The last years have offered us important career lessons, but especially life lessons. Professionally, we all learned a different way of working, we did extraordinary things in extraordinary conditions and saw that it was possible.
How difficult is it to find the right employees? What kind of tactics do you use to attract specialists and what do you do to keep the most valuable ones?
We are happy to see that our open roles are of interest to candidates. Candidates are looking for roles that will help them develop continuously. They are looking for competent managers who will support them in their development and a pleasant work environment, where professionalism is combined with moments of relaxation and time spent with the team. We strive every day to create this mix and we are happy to see that our actionsbring credibility. We are aware that we must pay attention to every detail and address every situation that arises. We listen to our people and react to what they tell us, and I think that makes the difference.
We see this interest in LSEG among senior candidates, but also among those at the beginning of their careers. As for the latter, we support them in their training process, and we believe it is important to create an environment in which they can continue their learning process.
What are the main lessons you have learned in the last two years, during which we had to face an unprecedented wave of „turbulence” – the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the inflation rate, etc.?
The last years have offered us important career lessons, but especially life lessons. Professionally, we all learned a different way of working, we did extraordinary things in extraordinary conditions and saw that it was possible. But we also grew as people, we really learned about resilience, the power to discern between what we can influence and what we can’t, we learned to take more care of ourselves and those around us and to value what we have.
What are your expectations for the second half of the year, both in terms of your profession and the company you run?What are LSEG’s plans in Romania, in the short, medium and long term?
On a personal level, I put a lot of passion into LSEG Romania and I do it every day. I am motivated by each delivered project, each client and each satisfied colleague.
And for LSEG Romania, the future sounds good. We will grow rapidly in the second part of the year and in the years to come. We have the trust and support of our colleagues in the Group, and we know very well that our growth plans will have to be strengthened by what we do every day. And by succeeding in this, we will be able to open new roads and opportunities for our colleagues.
ABOUT LSEG
Headquartered in the UK, with operations in 70 countries across EMEA, North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific, it relies on more than 25,000 employees globally in over 100 locations.
The team in Romania prides itself on being part of the dynamic and ever-changing international financial ecosystem, which makes LSEG the right place to learn new skills and shape one’s future. The company emphasizes diversity and inclusion. In 2020, it signed the Diversity Charter in Romania, which demonstrates its commitment to a more inclusive environment. It contributes to the educational ecosystem in Romania by organising conferences about LSEG’s infrastructure and its impact globally and locally, as well as training and inspiring teams to develop innovative projects in hackathons.