A new home and unexpected love for Leuven

Originally from Croatia, Daniel moved to Belgium for university, knowing little about the country. Today, he calls Leuven home.

“I’ve really grown to love it here, and I never regret making that choice.”

It’s also in Leuven where his journey with ING took shape, one that has changed both how he works and how he sees himself. Despite early doubts about fitting into a banking environment, Daniel now thrives in conversations on macroeconomics and enjoys attending high-level financial briefings. “It’s still surprising sometimes, but also very exciting.”

Juggling the passions, finding the voice

Daniel thrives on keeping busy. Alongside earning multiple diplomas and pursuing personal projects, he launched a student organization at KU Leuven to give peers access to extracurricular opportunities, something he recommends for anyone aspiring to join the ITP. 

“Whether it’s music, sport, or work, I’m always chasing that spark of discovering something new about myself.”

His hobbies are diverse: singing pop and rock, playing guitar and piano, hiking, and tennis. Despite his packed schedule, Daniel’s passion for variety and learning never fades. Daniel’s view on success is refreshingly practical. “Many people want to climb the corporate ladder, but I’m more focused on being financially free and living life to the max.” The ITP experience has reinforced this mindset, showing him that life is full of possibilities waiting to be explored. Through the ITP, Daniel learned the value of voicing his opinions and leveraging his engineering background in a finance environment. 

“Providing a different perspective is always valuable.” 

He has also grown comfortable daring to speak up at management level when something doesn’t feel right, a skill that sets him apart and boosts his confidence.

Go beyond and lift the others

Coming into the ITP, Daniel faced a major challenge: he had no prior finance experience. “I wasn’t familiar with the jargon or the strategic mindset,” he shares. 

“I quickly realised I needed concrete numbers to understand things, 
not just big words.” 

This challenge pushed him to transform the way he approaches problems both professionally and personally. One of Daniel’s proudest moments was organising events that received overwhelmingly positive feedback. 

A community of transmission

When things got tough, Daniel leaned on the ITP community. One source of inspiration: a former ITP colleague who made a similar transition from tech to finance.

“We only spoke 3  times, 
but his path and encouragement had a huge impact on me.”

He credits his managers for their guidance and support, and extends special gratitude to his first manager for helping him navigate the first months of his first job. “At the ITP, you get assigned a coach, a buddy, a mentor... but no one knows your day-to-day challenges like your manager. She was the one I turned to when I needed perspective.” Now, he finds it rewarding to think he might be an inspiration for the next wave of ITP candidates, completing a full circle of growth and guidance.

A message for the future ITP community:
Be ‘selfish’ (in a good way)

Daniel’s advice for those entering the programme sounds unconventional in the first place: “Be ‘selfish,’ but not negatively. The ITP is full of changes, so you always need to step out of your comfort zone and embrace the opportunities. Focus on your own growth, take control of your career, and try to make time for yourself (even though you could be really busy sometimes).”