„Inspect, not expect“

My time as CEO of Fidor Solutions (2013-2015) was one of the most exciting times of my professional life. I learned a great deal about the dynamic banking market, agile development, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, Bitcoin enthusiasts, Ripple founders, German regulators and regulations, expansion to the UK and Russia, and had hundreds of other unique experiences. This, combined with my 20+ year career at Deutsche Bank, forms the foundation of my current work as a professional supervisory board member and strategic advisor.

However, one lesson is probably the most relevant, and I still apply it daily:

"Inspect, not expect."

Matthias Kröner, the founder and CEO of Fidor Bank, told me this when one of our implementations did not deliver as planned. It took me some time to understand, but he is sooo right. We often take practices for granted and assume that people will adhere to them. While we must trust, we also need to check whether things are done as agreed upon and expected.

It is good practice for a supervisory board member to undertake deep dives and inspections from time to time.

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