Ida, who has had a long career in banking and finance across global and Nordic institutions, discussed her reasons for joining ING and the qualities she brings to her new role in an interview published on October 29, 2025.
She said that she has followed ING for some time and was impressed by its commitment to technology, innovation, and expanding its global presence. "What stands out to me is ING’s strong values, inclusive culture and ambitious vision, all qualities important to me. The combination of a customer-centric mindset, strong execution capacity, and scalable platform gives ING a unique edge in realising its ambition to become the best European bank. I am excited by the opportunity to contribute to this journey."
Regarding her experience, Ida highlighted her background in various banking roles such as stockbroker, relationship manager for large corporates, chief risk officer, and most recently chief financial officer. She stated: "Across all these positions, I have brought a strong customer focus and a genuine curiosity to challenge the status quo. I strongly believe that the biggest risks larger organisations face are complacency and lack of ability to renew itself. I therefore believe it’s important to always stay ahead, be able to identify what is happening around us and to interpret how that impacts us short-term as well as long-term. I hope my analytical approach combined with experience from highly digital Nordic markets will bring some added value to the ING team."
On leadership style, Ida described herself as authentic and inclusive: "I am an authentic and inclusive leader – I thrive on building strong, diverse teams where people feel empowered to contribute. I am result-oriented and transparent; what you see is what you get. While I am comfortable making decisions independently, I believe the best outcomes come from leveraging the collective expertise of the team. Few things are more rewarding to me than seeing colleagues grow, take on added responsibilities and succeed in that."
When asked about how her varied experiences prepared her for being CFO at ING she explained: "Each of my previous roles has given me important insight and tools which help me in my CFO role. I believe a strong CFO combines financial expertise with a deep understanding of business and risk management. In banking, taking calculated risk is essential but they need to be carefully managed and aligned with the overall strategy. Profitability and solidity are a first line of defense. I hope my diverse background helps me spot both vulnerabilities and untapped opportunities ensuring resilience and positioning for future growth."
Addressing how banks can navigate volatility amid rapid industry transformation driven by new technologies like AI as well as changing customer behavior she said: "Volatility geopolitical- and macro-economic uncertainty have indeed become the ‘new normal’. Especially as banking undergoes rapid transformation driven by changing customer behaviour entrants of new competitors like fintechs and rapid technological advances such as AI. To stay ahead we must continuously ensure we deliver superior customer propositions at a competitive price. We also need to grow a diversified income base which delivers sound profitability and solidity also in a more volatile macro environment."
The interview provides insights into Ida's perspective on leadership within complex financial environments.