women@zeb

What were your reasons to change jobs and go into consulting?

"Although changing the work environment always brings some uncertainty, we were looking forward to the new challenge."

Are there any milestones you've achieved in your career as a consultant?

"One of my goals was to build an internal network. I think networking and mutual support in particular are very important in the first few months."

What was your onboarding period like?

“I was new to the banking industry, so I was able to learn the basics of bank management by attending seminars and training courses."

“Speak up and shine” – that was the motto of the women@zeb network meeting in Berlin in July 2025. Around 70 female colleagues came together to discuss female empowerment in a relaxed atmosphere. The day began with a talk show format at the GLS Campus in Berlin, followed by interesting discussions on how to show presence – not through volume, but through clarity of thought, conviction, and resonance. Afterwards, the participants enjoyed a nice dinner with drinks on the terrace – a great way to end the event that offered many opportunities for networking and exchanging ideas.

Balance, brilliance & energy – at the last network meeting, 70 female colleagues from all over Europe got together to discuss the well-being of women in the consulting industry. The focus was on topics such as nutrition, cycle awareness and mental strength. Especially the keynote speech by Dr. rer. nat. Katharina Kessel, in which she introduced the world of cycle syncing nutrition, made a big impression. In interactive workshops, the importance of sleep for performance and mental well-being was explored in greater depth. A joint dinner and a walk through the festively lit Allwetterzoo Münster with mulled wine and a Christmassy atmosphere made for a perfect end to the day.

“No!” – a statement that often doesn’t come easy but is essential for personal development. In Münster, speaker Paula Menninghaus presented valuable ideas on how to set and recognize your own limits in the larger context of repartee skills. A visit from a policewoman and topic table discussions deepened the insights and pointed out practical ways to make it easier to say “No!” in everyday life. The joint dinner that followed provided the opportunity to share experiences and end the day in a relaxed atmosphere.

The power of networking: that was the title of this year’s networking event organized by the women@zeb initiative. After the previous evening’s joint dinner, the day began with inspiring presentations on networking. An interactive workshop with Burcu Arslan from the women’s career network nushu offered practical insights and new ideas.

Our networking series brings women together at different locations, enabling them to learn more about the world of zeb and have inspiring conversations. The natural wine tasting in Berlin-Neukölln offered female students and graduates the opportunity to gain insights into everyday consulting work at zeb over vegan snacks and natural wines and to have a chat with Juliane and Svea. Next up was the “Bagels, consulting and networking” event in Hamburg, where Maire and Svea presented their daily work and the attendees were able to network over coffee and bagels on the roof terrace. In Munich, “Yoga & Wine” combined a joint yoga session with a subsequent wine tasting, where the participants had a chance to talk to Sonja and Annika in a relaxed atmosphere.

Young schoolgirls spend a day immersed in the world of IT and software development in a playful and practical way – without any dry theory, but with lots of fun and active participation. A variety of exercises show what everyday life in consulting looks like and what exciting tasks it involves. After a joint lunch break with pizza, it’s time to get creative: in a workshop, the schoolgirls develop their own ideas for a homework app, thus gaining initial insights into the development of digital solutions.

In spring, we hosted two inspiring webinars that specifically support women in their professional development. In our application training, the participants had the chance to have their CVs professionally checked and to complete an interview training session based on real-life situations. In a webinar on personal branding, our experts Jennifer and Katalin demonstrated how LinkedIn can be used effectively to forge a career in consulting.

Career fairs offer you the perfect opportunity to personally get to know zeb as a #HomeForTalents. This year, we once again set up a stand at several career fairs – always with the aim of having inspiring discussions and attracting new talent to the financial services sector. With our stand – as in previous years at herCAREER –, exciting goodies and a motivated team, we offer a space for networking and personal questions about your career start and your development opportunities at zeb.

The “Inside zeb” program offers you the unique opportunity to regularly discuss your personal and professional development with experienced mentors and gain exciting insights into everyday consulting life. The kick-off event is all about participants and mentors getting to know each other in person – the perfect start to making valuable contacts. In the following months, you can expect inspiring workshops on current topics such as artificial intelligence, programming and job application training. Job shadowing allows you to experience everyday consulting up close and personal, and direct contact with your mentors provides you with helpful practical insights. A closing event marks the end of the program.