Our FIM alumni Sarah Storck shares her inspiring career story
Sarah Storck is the Director and Head of Workflow Solutions for Commercial Clients in the DACH region at Deutsche Bank. A graduate of the Finance and Information Management (FIM) program at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Sarah has had a dynamic career, transitioning from sales roles in risk management solutions to leading digital transformation initiatives within the bank. Known for her forward-thinking approach, Sarah is passionate about leveraging data and automation to improve workflow efficiency while also fostering diversity and inclusion within her team. In this interview, she shares her journey, leadership insights, and thoughts on the future of finance in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Interviewer: Can you share a bit about your career journey at Deutsche Bank? How did you start and what has your path been like?
Sarah Storck: I started within Deutsche Bank in the corporate and investment bank. My first six months involved various rotations, primarily in the global market space. My first real role was as a sales representative for corporate clients, focusing on risk management solutions. I covered foreign exchange, interest rates, commodities, and investment solutions, working closely with clients to understand their risk exposures and help them with hedging strategies. This was my first sales job, and what I really liked was the client interaction. I wasn't just dealing with internal stakeholders—I was meeting with external clients and understanding their needs.
In 2017, I moved to Zurich for six months to cover Swiss corporate clients. It was a short-term assignment, but it was great to step out of my comfort zone, work with new colleagues, and gain international experience. After returning, I took on a larger portfolio of clients, progressing from subsidiaries to larger mid-cap companies. In 2020, we created the Risk Management Solutions (RMS) department, focusing on workflow solutions and automation. When my boss left in 2022, I took over leading the department. I always describe it as a startup within a large corporation because we're building something new, which is both challenging and rewarding.
Interviewer: It sounds like you're in a great position, having that startup environment within a larger, secure organization. What have been some of the challenges you've faced in your career, and how did you overcome them?
Sarah Storck: One of the first challenges I faced was early in my career. I had a client call wanting to sell $10 million, and I remember being so nervous, trying to ensure I didn’t make any mistakes. My boss told me to relax and that it would become easy after doing it 100 times, which turned out to be true. Initially, it felt like a lot of pressure because it wasn’t just a theoretical scenario like in exams—it was real money on the line. Over time, you build confidence, and now handling these trades is second nature.
Another ongoing challenge is stakeholder management. You have external clients with demands, internal departments to manage, and different expectations all around. Balancing all of that while keeping things moving forward requires a lot of self-management and communication.
Interviewer: That’s a great point about communication and stakeholder management. Now that you’re in a leadership position, what qualities do you think are essential for success?
Sarah Storck: I’d say three qualities are key. First, having a vision is crucial. You need to be forward-thinking and consider where the department and the business will be in five or ten years. Staying up-to-date with competitors and market trends helps shape that vision. Second, trustful and transparent communication is essential. I have a young team, and they appreciate honesty, even when the news isn’t great. Creating a culture where feedback is openly shared allows everyone to grow. Third, developing your team is vital. I always hire people who are smarter than me in certain areas, and I empower them to grow. For example, one of my team members wanted to spend time in the U.S., and I helped him find an opportunity there. It’s important to think long-term and support your team’s development.
Interviewer: Those are excellent leadership qualities. How do you think the FIM (Finance and Information Management) program has helped hone those skills in future leaders?
Sarah Storck: The FIM program is great because it brings together people from different academic backgrounds—informatics, mathematics, business—and helps them work as a team. That’s exactly what happens in the workplace, where you have to bring together different perspectives to solve problems. FIM also offers a lot of practical, hands-on experiences with real-world applications, which helps develop soft skills like teamwork and communication, alongside hard skills. It’s a great foundation for leadership.
Interviewer: I completely agree! FIM’s mix of theory and practice is fantastic. Now, looking at the impact of digital transformation, how has it influenced the way you manage workflow solutions and automation for your clients?
Sarah Storck: When I started in 2015, most of the foreign exchange (FX) trades were done over the phone, which surprised me given the advancements in technology. But over the last few years, we’ve seen a huge shift from voice trading to electronic (E) trading. This shift not only increased efficiency but also provided us with a lot of data. With that data, we developed automated solutions for clients’ operational flows, like FX trades that happen regularly. By combining account data with FX rates, we can automate these processes, allowing clients to focus on more strategic trades. This was a significant shift in the industry and one we were proud to be part of.
Interviewer: It sounds like automation and data-driven solutions have really transformed your work. Do you have an example of a project or initiative that had a significant impact on a client?
Sarah Storck: Yes, one of the initiatives that made a real difference was automating FX trades based on a client’s account data. By monitoring thresholds in their accounts, we could automatically execute trades without the client having to call in or handle it manually. This saved them time and reduced the risk of human error. It’s one of the ways we’re using technology to add value and offer unique solutions, something that wasn’t possible before digital transformation.
Interviewer: You mentioned a shift from voice trading to electronic business (E-business) and how that influenced the way clients interact with Deutsche Bank. Could you explain more about the data-driven approach you developed?
Sarah Storck: Yes, the shift to E-business brought significant changes. Previously, many clients would call for operational FX trades, even though they were managing strategic topics like dividends from Brazil or M&A transactions in the U.S. I started to wonder why they were calling for such regular operational flows when we had access to so much data.
Deutsche Bank is one of the largest players in the FX market, and we have a wealth of data. So, we asked ourselves, why not use that data to create solutions for clients? We began collaborating with our cash management colleagues. For clients with Deutsche Bank accounts, we could monitor their thresholds—if their balance dipped below a certain level, we could automatically top it up, or if they had excess cash, we could sell it. It was all data-driven, and the trades were triggered by the data.
This was new for the industry, as we were transitioning from voice business to E-business. With E-business, the margins shrink because it becomes more competitive, and the FX rates for US dollars are the same across banks. So, we needed to provide clients with unique solutions. One idea was to combine account data with FX rates to offer an automated service. We would handle the operational FX trades for them, while they focused on strategic ones. This approach grew into robotic process automation (RPA), which has had a significant impact on our corporate clients.
Interviewer: It sounds like the automation had a huge impact on efficiency. What kind of challenges did you face in implementing this?
Sarah Storck: Yes, while it sounds simple, implementing it was a challenge. Deutsche Bank is a large and highly regulated organization, so we had to coordinate with multiple departments. We had to work with IT to determine what data we had and how to connect the cash management and FX departments. Then, there was the legal side, drafting long agreements, which we had to negotiate down to a manageable length for clients.
We also needed to find pilot clients to test the solution, which required trust between us and the clients. After running successful pilot projects, the next challenge was scalability. You don’t want just five clients using the solution—you want hundreds or even thousands. To scale, we needed to educate our sales teams and constantly innovate, incorporating new client requests and feedback. It was a learning process, but it ultimately helped us develop a scalable solution that had a significant impact.
Interviewer: That's impressive! It seems like the success of this project also contributed to your growth within the bank.
Sarah Storck: Absolutely. This project helped me move into a director role. It’s important to show that age doesn’t limit growth. If you have a good project and deliver results, you’ll be rewarded. The key is demonstrating your achievements and being willing to take on new challenges.
Interviewer: We previously touched on diversity and women’s empowerment. How do you, as a leader, ensure that your team is diverse and that women are empowered within your organization?
Sarah Storck: I completely agree that diversity is important, and I believe it starts early. That’s why I participate in recruiting events and visit universities to encourage women to apply. Often, women hesitate because they feel they’re only 80% ready for a role, but I always tell them to apply anyway. There’s so much opportunity for women in finance today.
Within my team, I focus on hiring people with different backgrounds and experiences. For example, one of my team members went to the U.S. to gain experience, and I have another joining who’s a data scientist with no FX experience. Diversity in skills and perspectives makes the team stronger. Regarding women in leadership, I always hire the best person for the job, regardless of gender. I don’t believe in promoting someone just because they are female. It’s about merit and skills.
Interviewer: That’s a very balanced approach. How do you address the perception that women are sometimes promoted just because of gender, rather than merit?
Sarah Storck: That’s a challenge. It’s important to make sure promotions are based on merit, and I’ve been lucky to have male colleagues promoted alongside me at the same pace, which sends the right message. Having a supportive and empowering manager is key to ensuring that success is recognized regardless of gender.
I also encourage women to be more assertive. Early in my career, I was told to speak up more, to make sure I had a seat at the table. It’s something women often need to hear—don’t sit in the back, be at the front, ask questions, and make your presence known.
Interviewer: That’s great advice. What final advice would you give to current and future FIM students who aspire to have a successful career like yours?
Sarah Storck: I would advise them to connect with corporate partners early and gain as much practical experience as possible. There are so many options available after completing the FIM program, but it’s important to find what suits you best. Don’t just chase the highest salary or the fastest promotion—find something you’re passionate about, and the success will follow.
Also, learn from those around you. Every colleague and manager has strengths you can observe and adapt. Pay attention to how others handle client meetings, internal presentations, and stakeholder management, and take the best practices from each person. Learning from experience is key to developing your own leadership style.
Interviewer: That’s fantastic advice. Thank you so much for your time, Sarah. It’s been an insightful conversation!
Sarah Storck: Thank you! It was a pleasure speaking with you.
Interview Credits: Eimaan Aamir
Apply now for our FIM program: www.mgt.tum.de/programs/master-in-finance-information-management
