Katja Kok

Marije: Thank you so much for your time, Katja Kok, Head of Private Banking & Wealth Management NL at ING, for speaking with us in the run-up of the Leaders in Finance Wealth Management event on March 6th. To begin this interview, could you please introduce yourself and share a bit more about your background with us? 

Katja: Yes, of course. And thank you for having me. A little about my background: I just turned 52 last month and realized I’ve been in finance for almost 30 years. Most of my career has been in private banking and wealth management with three major companies: ABN AMRO MeesPierson, Van Lanschot Kempen  and for the past two and a half years, I’ve been with ING. 

Marije: Those are some of the big names in Wealth management in The Netherlands… 

Katja: Yes, I know my competition haha, and that helps. After a broader experience at ABN AMRO, which offered a true bank-wide education, I joined private banking and wealth management, and I really enjoyed it. So, when I joined ING 2.5 years ago with the task of building a serious private banking pillar, I was really excited. ING is often viewed as a retail bank, which isn’t entirely fair, as we have a fantastic private banking and wealth management franchise and we are market leader in wholesale banking. Within the larger retail bank, there’s a lot to be done, a lot of space to grow, and numerous opportunities to explore. My background in private banking and wealth management fits perfectly.  

Marije: In preparing for this interview, I noticed that you have experience not only in economics but also in philosophy and marketing. I can imagine this broad knowledge is quite useful in your role as the head of Private Banking and Wealth Management at ING. I’m curious how you apply this background in your current position? 

Katja: Sometimes I joke that my studies in philosophy are the most useful because they taught me how to analyze, ask questions, and stay curious. There’s always a follow-up question, always something to improve, explore, or change. In that sense, I find philosophy extremely valuable. My thesis was in social and political philosophy, but also analytical philosophy, which includes logic. That’s very useful as well. For example, you say ‘when this, then that’, but is that really the right conclusion? It’s about truly understanding the matter at hand. Marketing, of course, is incredibly useful too. We want to build our brand, our reputation, and reach new customers—that’s pure marketing. Economics, on the other hand, might be the least useful of all. This business is about people, not about numbers, is my opinion. In my experience as a manager, when I hire people, I prefer candidates with a hospitality background because of their skills and mentality. They are client-focused, service-oriented, and solutions-driven. Economics is knowledge you can learn. 

Marije: I have a background in translation myself. I studied to be a translator, specializing in French and Spanish, and eventually worked for ING at one point in my career. I have to agree with you—it’s about creating relationships with people, understanding the cultures they come from, and translating all of that into whatever you’re doing professionally. It’s of incredible value. I can definitely imagine how you benefit from this.  I looked into ING’s wealth management business and noticed that you position the business as ‘Wealth beyond Yourself’. What’s the story behind this positioning? 

Katja:  When I joined, we were too internally focused and not sufficiently visible. We needed a story to convey who we are and what sets ING Private Banking and Wealth Management apart from our competition. What makes us different? The ING DNA should be present, along with our ambition and mission. ING is entrepreneurial, creative, innovative, and free-spirited, with that distinctive orange DNA that I truly appreciate. It’s inclusive for everyone, including the super-wealthy. We aim to translate this DNA into something that resonates with our target audiences, while adding something extra. It may sound a bit corny, but making the rich richer is not the goal. Of course, we want to help people preserve and grow their wealth, but that’s just a means to an end. What is that end? True wealth is not merely financial. After so many years in private banking and wealth management, I’ve learned that it’s about what you can do with it. Can you put it to good use? Can you make yourself and those around you happier and healthier? Wealth beyond yourself means growing your wealth so you can have a greater impact. It enables you to achieve your goals in life or leave a lasting legacy. This idea is encapsulated in one sentence, but we integrate it into every conversation we have with our clients. 

Marije: So, the “Beyond yourself” actually means, what’s the actual impact of wealth? 

Katja: Yes, exactly. What are you doing with your money? And it’s not just about financial planning or scenario planning. No, it’s truly this conversation. Do we understand you? And can we help you live that life?

Marije: That’s a great purpose to have in your role. I also know that ING is a digital frontrunner with impressive products in the digital space. How are you specifically using digital tools in your private banking business at ING? 

Katja: This is one of our priorities. When I mentioned ING and how we can leverage its strengths, this is a key example. Our app, for instance, has 6 million users in the Netherlands, meaning a huge part of the country is familiar with it. It’s truly impressive—client-friendly and sophisticated. The challenge now is how we can translate these in-house capabilities into the relationship model we use in private banking and wealth management, especially regarding personalization. This is what we’re working on now. It’s not just about offering products in the app, but genuinely simplifying and optimizing the customer experience. After all, finance isn’t a hobby for most people—except for me and bankers. It’s like going to the dentist—it’s a necessity. Apart from the larger, more complex topics or questions, you want banking to be simple and frictionless. That’s why we are increasingly moving into the digital space—where we can, but always with a human touch. 

Marije: I can imagine that, in the end, the personal relationship is more important than the tool, but the tool needs to be user-friendly. 

Katja: And it should be aligned, right? It should offer a similar experience. A client should feel ‘They know me, they understand me. This is going really smoothly.’ Further digitization of our private bank is at the top of our list. 

Marije: You will be attending our event on the 6th of March and play an active role. I’m curious, what are you most looking forward to?

Katja: Well, I was always a bit hesitant to attend these kinds of events, but Jeroen convinced me. 

Marije: As he does.  

Katja: [jokingly] Yes, he does. But in all honestly, last time I attended a seminar or panel like this, I learned a lot myself. I truly believe in collaborative teamwork. There’s room for everyone in the Netherlands, so you can support each other, cooperate, and especially learn from one another. Don’t just copy-paste, get inspired. The client will benefit from it. I’m looking forward to it. I’m not there just to share information, but also to gain some. 

Marije: Wonderful. We’re really looking forward to having you there, Katja. See you on the 6th, and thank you so much for your time and insights during this interview. 

Note:  

Inmiddels heeft Katja Kok bekendgemaakt ING Nederland per 1 april te verlaten.  

Het sterke fundament waaraan Katja en haar team de afgelopen 2,5 jaar heeft gebouwd wordt onverminderd voortgezet. Tot haar opvolger is gestart, neemt Peter Jacobs, CEO van ING in Nederland, haar portefeuille waar.