From seed to speed: the rapid rise of the Bucharest Technology Centre

As banks develop into technology-led companies, the demand for in-house technology and engineering expertise has exploded.

A shining example can be found in Bucharest, where a Deutsche Bank Technology Centre is celebrating five years of rapid growth and success.

What started in 2013 with less than 200 people has developed into one of Deutsche Bank's most creative spaces, housing 900 technology experts.

Multi-talented, multi-faceted

The Bucharest teams cover a wide range of disciplines including project management, architecture, business and technology analysis, software development, as well as quality assurance. This allows the centre to build and run projects independently from start to finish; a simple recipe for innovation to thrive.

Departments including the Private & Commercial Bank, Anti-Financial Crime and the Corporate & Investment Bank have benefitted from the work driven out of Bucharest, which includes developing the Android version of the Deutsche Bank Mobile App - in partnership with the Digital Factory in Frankfurt.

During 2013-2018, the teams successfully delivered 500 international technology projects and more than 750 software releases for the bank's mobile banking and trading systems.

Award-winning reputation as an attractive employer

By the time the centre opened, Bucharest was already well known for its skilled labour force. It was a challenge to attract enough highly skilled IT professionals from the local community, with strong competition from leading international technology companies.

'We are hiring talents not for jobs, but for careers,' Marian V. Popa, the head of the centre, emphasised. 'With our strong focus on investing in our people and offering them an attractive working environment and career opportunities, we have built up a strong reputation in the local community,' he said.

This approach has been acknowledged externally. In 2014 the centre was recognised as one of the top five IT companies to work for in Romania and ranked in the top 10 in 2015 - ahead of some major global technology companies.

With 40 percent female employees and 75 percent millennials, the centre is now one of the bank's most diverse and vibrant locations. The attractive working environment and career opportunities has also attracted Romanian IT professionals who had moved abroad to return home. 'We were convinced that we can provide real opportunities to these professionals, similar to what they can find in Western European countries,' Popa said.