Bloomberg in Frankfurt: “My decision to move here was incredibly rewarding”

Chen-Chen Yeh

Software engineer

What about the opportunity at Bloomberg and Frankfurt attracted you to move? 

The welcoming atmosphere at Bloomberg’s Frankfurt Office, along with the city’s many attractions, have made my decision to move here incredibly rewarding. The team fosters a culture of transparency and openness, making it an ideal environment for me to freely express my opinions. 

Frankfurt is a city with many conveniences. Many places are within walking distance and getting around isn’t too difficult, even if you don’t speak German – thanks to the number of people who speak English. 

You moved from a bigger city that has a strong tech reputation. Why should a software engineer consider making the move to Frankfurt? 

Frankfurt has a big financial presence. If you’re passionate about the financial industry, it’s the ideal place to be. Furthermore, its central location in Germany makes it convenient if you want to travel to other destinations. 

You moved from consumer tech to Bloomberg. What was it about Bloomberg as a company that made you make the shift? What has it been like adjusting to the new environment? 

The financial industry has always been somewhat enigmatic to me, and I was eager to delve deeper into it. Bloomberg offered me the perfect opportunity to combine strong engineering practices with a rich understanding of finance. 

As for my getting acclimated to the company, it’s been a smooth process. Whenever I have questions or encounter uncertainty, my colleagues are consistently available to help. Their willingness to take the time to assist me has been invaluable and I’m truly grateful for it.

Tell us more about what you value working in Bloomberg’s Engineering group in Frankfurt.    

One aspect I highly value is the flat hierarchy. Our environment allows me to easily engage with colleagues at all levels, and this enables me to get rich insights into their experiences and perspectives. In addition, I appreciate Bloomberg’s commitment to philanthropy. It’s rewarding to be part of a team that actively gives back to the community around us  in meaningful ways. 

What team are you on and what do you do in your role? 

I’m with the Exchange Trading Connectivity team, which is responsible for establishing connectivity to different trading venues around the globe for various Bloomberg products. In my day-to-day role, I collaborate with my mentor and other experienced engineers to develop, maintain, and enhance software that directly touches our clients. Ensuring its stability presents a constant and compelling challenge.

Marco Marcello

Engineering Team Lead

You have been with Bloomberg since 2005, and have worked in 3 offices: London, Lugano, and now Frankfurt. What was it about this opportunity at Bloomberg’s Frankfurt Office that motivated you to make a move, not only in your role, but to another country?   

My decision was driven by the desire to move to Germany, which I had visited several times and enjoyed very much. I am pleased to say that Frankfurt has a lot to offer. It’s not too small or too big. The food is good. [The people are] friendly and easygoing. We have many sunny days and the weather is much better than I expected. 

Could you walk us through a typical “Day in the Life” of your role at Bloomberg in Frankfurt?    

A couple of months ago, I became a team leader (TL). My daily activity now involves helping the members of my team to progress toward their project goals and discover new stimulating challenges. I also prepare or review presentations for a variety of meetings and knowledge sharing sessions, run the sprint review input requests, and sometimes conduct technical investigations. And sometimes, I still write some C++ or Python code.

Our group is split between New York, London, and Frankfurt. We work very well and collaborate often. Three of us have been to New York in recent months, and we have all been to London as a team two or three times.

Tell us about the advantages of choosing to work for Bloomberg’s Engineering group in Frankfurt.

The office is small enough to be able to say “hi” to most people — not just your immediate coworkers. But it’s also big enough to offer plenty of career opportunities, as many different Engineering teams are represented. The office leadership is inspiring, and I feel I can trust the direction in which we’re headed. 

Is learning German essential? 

The language spoken [at the office] is English, so you don’t need German to work. And in Frankfurt, you can easily get by with English. 

Why would a software engineer choose to come to Frankfurt? 

For a software engineer in finance, it makes perfect sense to work in Frankfurt. There are lots of other financial companies that are based here. And, for European citizens, it is very easy to immigrate to Germany to work here.

Itunu Babalola

Software engineer

What’s your general experience with Bloomberg’s culture? Is there anything that has stuck out to you? 

The company’s open culture. You can talk to anybody about anything. When I first joined, I recall debugging something and I just messaged a co-worker in Tokyo a picture. We were then able to quickly and easily jump on a call to figure out the issue together. 

What kind of work are you doing? 

I’m a software engineer on the market oversight team. We automate reconciliation checks and ensure our reporting and surveillance fulfills all local regulatory requirements. We also build tools that automate risk compliance. 

We heard how Bloomberg’s office in Frankfurt offers the best of both worlds. You have a close-knit culture, but you also work on things that the entire company uses. Did that play into your decision?

My skip level manager in London was one of the major reasons why I chose my team. While we are based here, the people we work with are based in New York and London. We work on compliance that spans most of our regulated venues in different countries, so our work is not tied to a specific location or team.

When you arrived in Frankfurt and started working there, what was that experience like? 

Moving to Frankfurt was very seamless. Frankfurt is quite a peaceful city. And Bloomberg helps employees who are relocating here find housing. Then they assign a domestic relocation expert who helps you get settled in. I wouldn’t have gotten my first apartment without them. My team was also very helpful in telling me, “Oh you need to register for this, you need to sign up for this.” 

Was there anything in the interview process that made you decide to go for it? 

It was the speed for me – I wasn’t left waiting. I had never worked in finance, but domain knowledge wasn’t necessary. And you get to work with senior engineers – people who were coding even before you were born. I find that so cool. Someone I spoke with has been with the company for ten years. When a large number of people stay with the company for a long time, it shows there is something worthwhile there.

Another thing was Bloomberg’s Corporate Philanthropy team. A majority of the company’s profits go to support philanthropic efforts, and it’s really cool to work on something and also help people. That really stood out to me.