f<JeM What's NewS Issue 1 January 1996 cbs happy new year 9 Joost Verheijen (F&A research team, Utrecht): 'Changes shouldn't be seen as threatening, but as stimulating. Right now l'm moving to another job within Rabobank.That's a positive kind of change but still a change. If l'd stayed in my present job, l'd have had to make all sorts of changes as well.' Jan Groeneweg (corporate banking, real estate, Utrecht): The best news was our plans to explore other sectors in other countries in addition to food and agribusiness.They're ambitious in the positive sense of the word.' Lucy Ana Pandjaitan (senior account manager, Indonesia): 'We were thrilled to hear of expansion plans for Indonesia in the coming year. A new office will be opened and although this will be difficult because of government regulations, we want to make it happen. Our dients want us to do it, we want to do it, and it's good to see that the management acknowledges that.' Amro. Now, Rabobank is definitely a serious player. For example, we've had a tremendous year in project financing. We have become the top finance provider in the domestic energy business and in Utilities. But not only that, we've also come up with very creative and inventive ways of helping these energy companies make these huge and essential investments. And there were also a number of cross border transactions in this sector which mean we're able to export this know-how.' DEEPENING RELATIONS Creating transactions such as those developed for project finance deals is a way to get deeper into our target clients. 'It goes piecemeal,' Van Slingelandt believes. 'You start with inventive credit lines, project financing lines, trade lines, payment lines, currency lines. And you build on that. We have the products to attack the market, we have the people and organization to attack the market. Okay, it could be better in places - we're all working on improvements. But, by and large, everything is in place to service whoever we want to service. What we now have to do is use that to the fullest extent in combination with our partnership philosophy.' FOCUSED BANKING This focused approach is proving successful. Based on thorough knowledge and sound research in the sectors concerned, CBS worldwide is carving out positions. 'The US health-care sector is a good example of what you can achieve with focused banking,' Van Slingelandt continues. 'We have already built up a credible portfolio and we're starting to gain reputation. These sectors are not like F&A in the sense that they don't communicate. They are very separate markets in separate environments. But, like food and agri, they are primary sectors. People will always need health- care. But they're also specialist markets so we have to dig even deeper into know how. Again, that means more research and more investment in research. Real expertise and indepth knowledge of a sector is our added value for clients and it's what ultimately pays our salaries.' MANAGING CHANGE If ongoing plans and adjustments to existing strategy are implemented, then CBS's salary bill is going to be considerably higher in the very near future. 'We're currently talking about how we can further refine and improve our focus,' he confirms. 'We want to make that an integral part of how we work and we have to think very seriously about how it should be organized. It's time to come up with newer, innovative concepts in banking. At the very least, we have to examine which combination of markets and products we will have to add to our existing range in order to be making money in 2010. Fine- tuning and adjusting our approach will bring about changes. Now, I see that as a positive development because change will create real opportunities for the forecast 4,000 CBSers by the year 2000. Those changes and opportunities will have to be managed.' CAREER INITIATIVE The management team is well into the process of looking at new ideas. 'That's no secret,' says Van Slingelandt. 'It's our job, it's what we're here for. But even though nothing definite has been decided, l'm already getting a sense that people are worried about even the idea of change. We're talking about making real investments and sustaining the kind of growth which will ultimately mean doubling our activities. Whether you're back or front office, junior or senior, that can only mean there are even more opportunities to achieve your goals in life.' THE BOTTOM LINES These changes are all bound up in the massive investment CBS will be making in the time to come. According to Van Slingelandt, the targeted focus on markets and upgraded information systems and the value at risk project will take not only major financial investment, but also a lot of our energy and human resources management. We have to deploy our people in the best way possible. So we must have properly managed career planning. These issues have to be addressed from a policy perspective. And not only on a Dutch basis. We are an international organization, so we have to think like one, especially when it comes to developing career opportunities for our people - worldwide. And talking of opportunities, can 1 take this one to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 1996.' Our representative office in Johannesburg will start on 8 January, with Paco den Doop as our representative.The address is: Rabobank, Representative Office Southern Africa Rosebank Office Park, Block C, 1 st Floor 181, Jan Smuts Avenue, Parktown North-2120 Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa PO Box 1396, Parklands 2121 Tel:+27.11.442.46.49/74, Fax: +27.11.442.46.85

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blad 'What's news' (EN) | 1996 | | pagina 9