People in Business
If you have recently arrived in New Zealand, or finalising plans to do so from another country, there is someone in Auckland ready to welcome you and offer guidance and support on a number of issues.
From opening a bank account and suggesting banking products and services that suit your income and lifestyle, to providing guidance on a number of initial issues such as purchasing or renting a house, she does it all with sincerity and passion.
Welcoming visitors and making them good friends and customers comes naturally for Cassandra Lee, Head of Migrant Segment, International & Migrant Banking at ANZ bank based in Auckland.
Comforting migrants
“New migrants and those planning to migrate to New Zealand experience anxiety, fear, cultural shock and a host of other factors that can be traumatic. Newcomers invariably do not have relatives or friends here and hence have to start life all over again. Institutional assistance rendered by experienced bankers is always reliable and reassuring,” she said.
While New Zealand continues to attract migrants from all over the world, the focus is on people from Australia, India, China, the Philippines and United Kingdom before their arrival in New Zealand.
“ANZ has professionally qualified and highly motivated teams of varied ethnicity and cultural background, speaking a number of languages. They are trained to understand the needs of new migrants and provide suitable services,” she said.
Personal experience
Following her initial education, Cassandra arrived in New Zealand from her native Hong Kong to pursue a graduate course in Business Management at Unitec. Following the completion of her education, she returned to Hong Kong but New Zealand, with its laidback attitude and welcoming nature, was too attractive to resist. She was soon back in Auckland, this time as an entrepreneur.
Two years later, seeking a change in career, Cassandra applied for a job at National Bank (which has since merged with ANZ) and was “pleasantly surprised to be selected.”
Beginning her career as a banker, she has served the Bank in various capacities – as counter (teller) staff, as branch manager, site manager; in retail banking and business banking.
Growth opportunities
“National Bank was a great institution that provided me with continuous support, encouragement and opportunities to grow. There was an understandable period of anxiety when the Bank was purchased by ANZ but the process was smooth, very well planned and implemented. All of us now are assured that we belong to one entity with immense scope for growth,” Cassandra said.
According to her, helping people to get ahead in business and looking after them during testing times are among the finest attributes of ANZ. While the Bank weighs several factors before writing new business, every effort is thereafter exercised to help businesses grow. Customers appreciate what ANZ does for them, she said.
“ANZ carefully weighs all business opportunities in the light of the state of the economy and we focus on helping people to achieve success in their personal and professional lives. We as a team strive to understand the needs of people and support them with high quality banking services,” she said.
“A good banker is the financial heart of the community and as such has the obligation of rising up to the expectations of its members to help them lead more comfortable lives, raising their social status.”
Specialist Services
As New Zealand’s largest commercial bank, ANZ has professional bankers to provide specialist services for small, medium and large businesses, retailers, wholesalers, owner-operated companies, in addition to tailored packages to suit every enterprise, she added.
“Specialist Indian Bankers conversant in a number of Indian languages work at ANZ offices and stores throughout New Zealand. ANZ offers comprehensive banking and financial services to a growing number of customers, helping them connect to the rest of the world. As well as home loans, cheque and savings accounts and other types of banking, ANZ offers General and Life insurance products that are popular with the Indian community,” Cassandra said.
It is often said that opportunities present themselves to people who have the ability to recognise and husband them towards the common benefit of a community, society or nation and that those who groan and grunt will remain in the backyard of their troubles.
Christian Values
Cassandra is proud of her Christian values and participates in projects of her Church, helping people in need. She prefers to follow a simple and modest lifestyle, although she is anxious to ensure that everyone around is progressive and prosperous.
“By nature, I am not an ambitious person. I take my job and the responsibilities that come with it seriously. But I take life as it comes. I believe that we are lucky to live in New Zealand, which is increasingly becoming multicultural with human values,” Cassandra said.
