Earlier this year, Co-founder & Group Director, Jörg Mauelshagen, Co-founder & Group Director, Bernhard Stricker, Group Director, Financial Services, Brad Jarrett and Global Recruitment Manager, Claudia Hoffmann, embarked on a week-long trip to visit the team in Bengaluru India.
The five days of festivities were filled with team bonding exercises, business insights, and of course, good food, drinks and laughter. Read on as we hear from those who travelled, as to what the team got up to and the key highlights from their trip.
Tuesday, Day 1: A Warm Welcome from Bengaluru
The week kicked off with a warm reception from the bancon India team at our hotel Hilton Embassy Park. Over a relaxed evening meal, we had the opportunity to unwind and build relationships before diving into business discussions in the week ahead.
Claudia Hoffmann said,
“It was so nice to finally meet the team in person, nothing beats a warm embrace.”
She beams,
“An emotional moment for sure. Despite bancon‘s digital-first ethos, fostering collaboration and flexibility for both our team and customers, there’s just undeniable magic when we can be together. The human connections we have forged through the culmination of shared challenges and triumphs meant that those first hugs and handshakes were a significant milestone.”
Wednesday, Day 2: A Deep Dive into Business Dynamics
Our first official day kicked off with an engaging session titled ‘View from the Bridge – India,’ held at the new office space in Bengaluru. This deep-dive session focused on the core principles of our business; the 6 P’s – Proposition, People, Projects, Pipeline, Partners, and Processes – provided a comprehensive understanding of business performance, aspirations and how we all equally contribute to the success of our dynamic business.
Employees took advantage of the chance to pose direct questions, fostering accountability within management, and learning more about the opportunities available at bancon and how certain decisions are assessed and made.
The highlight of the day was witnessing the unwavering passion of the team for customers, company, and colleagues, evident through plenty of engaging discussions and inquisitive questions from the team.
Bernhard Stricker, Co-founder & Group Director, said
‘‘It was an extremely proud moment for me and the bancon board of Directors. We embarked on our expansion into the region two years ago and have been blown away by the talent, enthusiasm, and energy present – we’re building something special in the country, complementing the rockstar teams we have elsewhere across the globe.’’
The evening unfolded with a team meal at Ironhill, where laughter continued into the early hours, fuelled by good food and even better company. A perfect recommendation from Bengaluru socialites, Sowmya Sambasivam and Ashish Kumar.
The night came to a late and unexpected end, a simple and easy mistake of thinking it was Jörg’s birthday as he was presented with a dessert which resembled a birthday cake and became a running joke throughout our trip.
Jörg laughs,
“I can still hear the echoing words of ‘Happy Birthday’ ringing through my ears! A memorable way to finish the night, followed by laughter all the way back to the hotel. This evening was a great way to connect with our people on a personal level that set the tone for the days ahead.”
Thursday, Day 3: Bonds Strengthened Through Adventure (and some light competition)
Venturing outside the office and away from our desks, teams embraced the spirit of competition at an offsite trip at Area 83. Our group separated into two teams, Team Red and Team Blue, where activities ranging from Dirt-Karting to Archery Tag sparked some very real adrenaline fuelled competition and team spirit.
Memorable moments included the bus journey, where, to kill time, we decided to take part in a memory test where each colleague had to recall and add a random item to a growing list. Mitali’s remarkable memory prowess left us in awe!
Another memorable moment was during the paintball game, where Jörg, Brad and Bernhard found themselves unwitting targets, resulting in a draw with no clear winner, but plenty of laughter.
During the Human Foosball activity, we witnessed Muthu’s unexpected talent as a striker, scoring an impressive 90% of the goals for Team Red! If bancon decides to form a football team, we undoubtedly have our star sticker ‘‘MS7’’!
As the day progressed, we tackled the Sky Swing, Brad was leading the charge, of course, despite reservations from others about him ruining his hair. Although some embarrassing moments were definitely experienced and unfortunately witnessed, the day’s experience certainly brought us closer together as a team and we’ll have memories to reflect on for a long time to come.
The day concluded on a high note with Archery Tag, where the competitive spirit remained palpable. Thanks to the exceptional archery skills of Pradeep Komath and Ashish Kumar, Team Blue emerged victorious in two rounds.
We wrapped up the day of activities with a quiet dinner, followed by some post-dinner drinks that continued until the early hours of the morning.
Brad commented,
“Nothing brings people together like some healthy competition.”
He continued,
“Seeing how the team interact with one another demonstrated the special bond already being created. New team members quickly settled in and looked like they’d been with us their entire career’’ He joked, ‘‘The Sky Swing was a thrill, though the pictures are questionable’’.
Friday, Day 4: Reflections and Celebrations
The week drew to a close with reflections on the week we’d shared and aspirations for the future of our global teams at bancon. Part two of our session ‘View from the Bridge – India’ provided further insights into business dynamics, followed by 1-on-1 conversations to discuss how bancon can continue to support career growth and personal aspirations for our team in India.
As the day concluded with a farewell meal, some of the team bid adieu to departing members with heartfelt appreciation and a final rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ situated in the hotel lobby.
Jörg comments,
“It was an outstanding week, with an outstanding group of individuals. This is what bancon is all about. A home full of talent, passion and expertise. Weeks like this are what fuels us to continue to provide the platform for our people to deliver great outcomes for our clients; in an environment that fosters growth, trust, and mastery of the industry and technology.”
Highlights and standout moments
Meeting our newest employees face-to-face, coupled with the unwavering hospitality from the team, only added to the experience, reinforcing the sense of family, and belonging within the bancon team.
Amidst the scheduled events, several moments stood out, including an evening event with partners Accenture and a mutual UK-based FSI Client, where the team enjoyed the Women’s Cricket and amazing views from Skye Bar. Meetings with Accenture India paved the way for promising partnerships in the year ahead.
Tuk tuk rides to and from the office, and some selfies along the way, of course.
A special thank you toImran Mohd, Director of Operations, whose meticulous planning and warm hospitality made the week one we won’t forget. We look forward to our next trip to India and the next bancon birthday.
