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8
What's News Issue 7 July 1996
I Singapore currently has a staff of
around 180 and budget
projections for an increase to 225
in the next three years. As human
resources manager, Neville Kiang
is the Singapore Rabobanker with
the unenviable task of finding,and
more importantly retaining, the
right people in a highly
competitive market. 'There is a
real shortage of labour here in
Singapore,' he confirms.
'Fortunately,our government has
responded to the short-fall by
increasing the number of work
passes to foreign nationals. But
even so, this remains a tight
market when it comes to
recruiting and retaining quality
people. Professionals here can and
do command incredible salaries.
People change jobs frequently
because it's a seller's market;
supply goes nowhere near
meeting demand. So you have to
develop strategies and tactics in
the same way our marketing
people tackle their markets.'
Yet in spite of a tough personnel
environment, Kiang says he is not
particularly worried about finding
the required 45 people.'The bank
has a good name.We're well
regarded and quite well respected
in the market,' he confirms. 'The
biggest difficulties I see are
assimilating such a large group
into our own very specific
Rabobank culture.That will be the
critical part. And once they're in,
we've also got to ensure they stay
Neville Kiang
with us.You have to offer real
career planning and development
programs. In Singapore, we're
encouraged to think globally. So,
in fact, Lai Chong Tuck's
appointment as rep in Vietnam is
a real advantage.'
According to Neville Kiang, it is an
indication that the bank is also
thinking globally.'It's sending out
a message to our people here that
if they have the ability, nothing is
impossible.The whole world has
become our playing field in the
present ourselves in that
market, which clearly is a huge
one. It's very early days, so I
don't really want to say much
about the details of our initial
proposal on entering the
market - we've only just
presented that plan and no
decision has been taken. But
what I will say is that setting
up a rep office and then
waiting a couple of years to
move in with a branch is
probably not the way to
detail - yet. As soon as we
have anything definite, we'11 let
you know.'
TAILORED PRODUCT
RANGE
It would appear that Singapore
Rabobankers are taking the
mammoth task of penetrating
new markets and interacting
with the rest of the
international network in their
stride. But Singapore's role is
the near future, we're
expecting to see increased
European and US activity in
the region. So we're also
expecting even closer
networking with our branches
there - especially if we can
open up India.'
THE BIG ONE
The Indian sub-continent is a
major challenge. 'As a bank,'
Hannaart says, 'we're involved
in a discussion on how to
Hans Hannaart
proceed. I hate clichés, but this
really is a huge market. There's
no problem about getting a
banking licence in India. But if
you apply for one in, say,
Bombay, that doesn't
necessarily mean you're in the
right place. So what we've
done is look at more creative
ways to position ourselves.
We're thinking in terms of
some kind of domestic vehicle.
But, as I said, I can't go into
EXPANSIEDRIFT
Alhoewel er nu vestigingen zijn in Hong Kong,Thailand,Taiwan, Maleisië en Vietnam zijn we er nog lang niet. Met veel interesse
wordt gekeken naar India, een land met groot potentieel. De wijze waarop de Rabobank hier in de toekomst aanwezig zal zijn wil
general manager Hans Hannaart echter nog niet onthullen. De nieuwe markten worden voorzichtig bewerkt. De te behalen hoge marges brengen
hoge risico's met zich mee. Voortdurende risico-analyses zijn dan ook van groot belang bij de ontwikkeling van een stabiele portefeuille.
Rabobank Singapore Branch
I0TH ANNIVERSARY CRUISE