Why did you join Wise?
I previously worked in the public sector for five years in a completely different field. I had been thinking about making the switch to the private sector. I had heard about Wise and its mission but I did not know much about the company. Neither did I have much knowledge about Fintech or Finance. After little research into Wise, I was intrigued by Wise values. So even though I did not have much experience in the financial field, it did not scare me and I decided to apply for a Due Diligence Agent (CDD) position regardless.

During my application process I became fascinated by how Wise is able to provide its services so cheaply and fast. This was explained in detail during the onboarding process. 

What does a day as a Due Diligence Agent (CDD) look like?
A regular day as a Due Diligence Agent (CDD) starts off with a fresh cup of coffee and a quick chat with coworkers. Our team’s main goal is to onboard high risk businesses that have been escalated to us by other teams. Each case is different and requires you to look at it with fresh eyes. Some cases are like puzzles where all pieces need to fit. This means that as an agent, you need to have a wide range of knowledge about the business you are reviewing as well as understand different business models. As someone who had never worked in Finance or studied Business, at first I was intimidated by how much I needed to know business models and structures as well as financial crime. However, during my onboarding all topics were covered and I had guided training which meant that by the time I had to do cases on my own, I was more than confident to tackle each case. After my training, I still ask a lot of questions but Wise has an amazing support system and I’ve never had a question unanswered.

What do you think are the 3 most important attributes or skills to succeed in this role?
The important combination of skills that will help you in this role is being able to investigate and analyse information you have about a certain case. At times the amount of information can be overwhelming and at times it is the opposite. A mindset that has helped me in this role is being able to ask myself what information I need in order to make the final decision. This has helped to ensure that we provide the best service possible to our customers. Being confident and decisive will definitely help you in this role also.

How does your role impact Wise’s mission?
Wise mission is to provide instant, transparent and eventually free money movement without borders. Due Diligence Agent (CDD) can help with this mission by onboarding the businesses with as little hassle as possible. This means having an overview of the case you are working on, understanding the information you have or possibly need and taking a customer focused view. This way we can ensure that we communicate with the customer as efficiently as possible. The more efficient we are in our communication, the faster the customer can start using their Wise account.

What’s something you find challenging about your work?
It has been a challenge working in such a fast paced environment. As an agent, it is essential to be up-to-date with all regulatory requirements which sometimes change very quickly. Thankfully Wise communication channels are always being updated with new information and always when in doubt – you can ask your lead!

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made at Wise and what did you do to fix it?
During my probation time I was working on a case which I was about to finish. I had contacted the customer to provide some additional information which meant that I had to set the case to waiting in our backlog. I accidentally approved the case instead, meaning that not only did the system recognise the individual as approved but all transfers were released. I had to act very quickly and ask coworkers for help. Firstly they assured me that it can be fixed and then we got to fixing it. Due to quickly acknowledging my mistake and asking for help, we were able to remedy the situation. Taking ownership of the mistakes you make is valued at Wise.

How has your team used the team event budget?
Our team has opted to save our team budget and organise bigger events quarterly. The last event that we organised was an outdoor karting race with an afterparty. We have also had an overnight stay at Villa PillaPalu and welcomed the summer with a barbeque party. Currently, we are planning to create our own CDD logo merch.