WHAT'S NEWS Issue 1 January 1997
luxembourg
9
we're aiming for. You can't
afford any kind of mistake
when you're dealing with
cliënt accounts. But we also
feel we have a role to play in a
proactive approach to clients.
We're currently in the process
of redesigning account
statements so that clients get
all the information they
require in a user-friendly,
transparent way. It sounds a
simple matter, but that kind of
service is what distinguishes
you from the competition.'
Thierry Collet
tends to know everyone. It's
rather nice to know you're
envied by people working in
other banks.'
NEW PREMISES
The fact that the bank's
premises were designed to
accommodate the 30 staff that
were Rabobank Luxembourg
only a couple of years ago, but
now house over 80, including
the Interpolis and Trust units
which are crammed into one
tiny room, seems irrelevant to
team spirit. Small - and even
overcrowded - perhaps best
sums up I.uxembourg's current
building. But like the country,
Rabobank Luxembourg is an
efficiënt, flexible organization
where 'the fact we're all
doubling and even trebling up
on offices only goes to show
just how close the team is,'
Van Keymeulen believes. The
lack of space is temporary.
Ambitious plans for a new
building just across the way
are well advanced and the
whole project should be
completed this year. 'I think
everyone will breathe a sigh of
relief when the movers come
in, especially Adrian
Whiteman, our operations
manager who has been
coordinating the building
project,' he laughs. 'In the
meantime, we'11 just get on
with the job of looking after
our clients.'
USER FRIENDLY
Creative, proactive service
from the front office is
undeniably vital for any
private bank. But if that
service is not matched by
equally high-quality back
The back-office team: sitting (l.t.r.): Joban Vrolijk, Yves Pieters and
Nathalie Bertrand
Standing (l.t.r.): Noëlle Sid, Sylvie Lemaire, Benoit Dumont, Carlo da
Gra^a, Yves Minsier, Sabine Taminiaux and Geneviève Stassain.
GOOD REPUTATION
Thierry Collet agrees
wholeheartedly. '1 think what
we've managed to do over
recent years is ensure there is
no divide between front and
back offices, we're one team,'
the deputy operations manager
believes. 'In the end, who pays
your salary? Whether you're
commercial or operations, its
still the same customer who is
generating the pay check. That
is very much the philosphy at
Rabobank Luxembourg.
Actually, in the business
here we have a very good
reputation as a bank with a
great atmosphere and great
working environment. This is a
small country where everyone
Portfolio management: sitting (l.t.r.): Marie Maas and
Merete Webster-Holm and standing (l.t.r.) Briino Joris,
Jean-Marie Pirrotte and Paul der Weduwe.
1995 on, the portfolio
management team has been
increasinglv integrated into the
whole unit. 'This integration
began in a systematic way
back in 1994,' says portfolio
manager Jean-Marie Pirrotte.
'We work closely with the
bankers through structured
regular meetings to discuss
specific accounts and more
generally how to achieve the
^fcrest returns for clients. We
have also generated customer
risk profiles, that is we've
worked out for each cliënt
what their goals and risk
appetite are. This helps us
develop real strategies for the
portfolios which meet cliënt
needs.'
office action, then 'you're not
going to make an impact on an
overbanked environment like
Luxembourg,' says Johan
Vrolijk who heads up the back
office team. 'Excellent back
office service can make all the
difference and that is what
PERSONAL AND PRIVATE
De verdeling tussen Personal Banking en Private Banking is gebaseerd op het aan Luxemburg toevertrouwde vermogen en niet op
de service die aan klanten wordt verleend. Gebaseerd op de behoefte en wensen van de klant wordt een plan van aanpak gevolgd.
De back-office speelt een belangrijke rol, in de concurrentie met het grote aantal andere banken is een hoge mate van accuraatheid belangrijk. De
informatievoorziening aan klanten, zoals rekeningafschriften, wordt momenteel aangepast zodat klanten op een overzichtelijke wijze alleen die
informatie krijgen die zij wensen.
