Culture of growth, innovation, and continuous improvement

Kevin Boyle is Head of Asset at SEB Life International. Here, he talks about his career journey within SEBLI and explains what makes his role so rewarding.

Kevin's journey with SEB began when his company was acquired by SEB. He has since grown within the company.

Kevin, tell us a bit about yourself and how your career at SEB began.

“My journey with SEB started somewhat unexpectedly. Back in 2011, I was working at a financial services company that was acquired by SEB. That acquisition marked a significant transition; bringing together two companies, cultures, and teams to form what we now know as SEB Life International.

I still remember being right in the middle of that transformation. Change can be challenging, of course, but it's also a constant in today’s working world. I’ve found that the same challenges often bring the best opportunities, whether it’s developing new skills, finding better ways of working, or growing into new roles.

Since joining SEB, I’ve always worked in the investment space. Investments have always been a strong area of interest for me. With a degree in Business, I naturally gravitated toward the investment related modules during my studies, they were always the most engaging.

I started as a Dealer, progressed to Team Lead, then Manager, and now Head of Asset Department and member of the Executive Management team.  Along the way, I’ve continued to study part-time, recently completing a Master’s in Financial Services. The main modules; Applied Alternative Investments, Operational Risk Management, and Strategic Management aligned really well with my role and the direction of the industry.

So what does the Asset Department do?

Kevin explains that the Asset department at SEBLI consists of around 15 colleagues and made up of three main teams, the Dealing Team, the Investment Management Team and the Data Sourcing and Control Team.

“Our department is responsible for the onboarding, trading, and valuation of asset holdings across both direct and external custody. This spans all of our products and markets. We place a strong emphasis on data sourcing and quality, it’s critical to delivering accurate, efficient reporting and asset-related processes.

We also manage and monitor our counterparties and asset holdings, ensuring we consistently deliver high levels of service to stakeholders. In addition, we work closely with our colleagues in Investments at SEB Life Sweden through the Investment Analysis Control unit, where we focus particularly on valuing harder-to-value or illiquid assets.

It’s a broad and dynamic role, involving collaboration with many parts of the organisation. The asset landscape is constantly evolving, shaped by shifts in the markets we operate in, regulatory developments, and increasing demands from customers. All of this means we have to be agile, adapting quickly and constantly refining how we work.”

What’s the most rewarding part of the role?

For me, it’s the opportunity to keep learning. No two days are the same, and I genuinely find that refreshing. SEB has a strong culture of personal development, innovation, and continuous improvement—and there’s a real sense of pride in our collective achievements.

I also get a lot of satisfaction from supporting others in their development. Helping colleagues grow in their roles and move forward in their own career journeys is incredibly rewarding.