emu
in brief
1999 - the cost of
consolidation
Testing convictions
IT considerations
MamaRabo
Hockey triple triumph
What'sNewS Issue 12 December 1998 I Q
something altogether different to "walk
through" and see what they actually
mean. We learned a lot. We were able to
fine-tune the sequencing of various tasks,
and more clearly appreciate the need to
maintain continuity and to give everyone
clearly defined roles. There were other
lessons too - some of them surprisingly
simple; for instance, with lots of people
running around, you've got to make sure
your computer terminals are physically
placed in an open space, so that
everybody can easily access them without
causing a bottleneck in the room.'
Having weighed the results of the Utrecht
test, and having judged it to be 'very
■fciseful and necessary,' euro coördinator
Afflans Reusch transmitted a high priority
message to all European offices urging
them to conduct dress rehearsals of their
own. 'Some offices are convinced that
they have everything under control, but
how will they really know unless they put
this conviction to the test?' he asks. 'Since
the answer will determine whether they're
still in business on the first day of next
year, a failure to conduct rehearsals is
both unacceptable and very risky. Every
individual office has obligations to the
entire network.'
It is also important that we not take our
1T systems for granted. Robert Pronk, of
cash management services, cautions that
'we're dealing with many complex
^«/sterns and procedures. The fact that
^tour Atlas simulation ultimately
performed well doesn't automatically
mean that interfaces between Atlas and a
lot of other systems will be equally
smooth at handling the conversion.
Between now and the start of next year,
we are going to be very actively and
continuously testing as many of these
interfaces as possible. We cannot afford
to let up our guard.'
To help ensure that the conversion goes
as smoothly as possible from the human
standpoint, extraordinary efforts are
being made on the logistics side. In
October, a new team called 'MamaRabo'
began essential preparations to cope with
all of the additional logistics
requirements associated with so many
Rabobankers working irregular hours.
Says Els Elbertse of management multi
project office (MPO), a member of the
MamaRabo core team, 'a large number
of people are going to be making some
extraordinary efforts during the
preparatory weekends and the conversion
weekend - all working overtime under
terribly hectic circumstances - and we
have to support them in every possible
way. Our job is to make sure they can
concentrate - without having to worry
about whether they can get into the
building, whether there will be sufficiënt
parking, and whether they can get
transport and accommodation and
food. We'11 look after all of this and
more. Also, we're not forgetting that this
is the holiday season. We're going to
make a special effort in keeping with
this spirit.'
The Dutch men's hockey team have done it
again. The most recent triumph, winning
the internationally prestigious Champions
Trophy against Pakistan, earns them triple
honours - the other two victories were an
Olympic gold and the World Cup title. The
teams triple triumph is further proof that
we, as main sponsor of the Dutch Hockey
Federation, made the right choice.
In fact, so valuable are the sponsorship
opportunities, that a contract has recently
been signed to renew the partnership with
our bank until July 2001.
Victory again for the Ftl sponsored men's Dutch
hockey team
...continued from page 5
investment banking products and
advice - that all goes to RN. If you
look at the domestic competition, you
see they have all kinds of expertise in
their regional offices. I'm a real
advocate of that kind of access to
expertise. 1PB will also become a
separate entity. We are then going to
focus on what we are supposed to
focus on. Once again, F&A, health
care and financial institutions and in
the Netherlands the large corporates.
We have one of the largest institutional
investor markets here in the domestic
market - there are 1,200 of the most
reputable pension funds in the world
here. Then there is the US of Europe -
we are going to streamline our
operation in the region - pretty much
what we already have in North
America. What is to stop us doing that
in Europe? These are all new challenges
for us, especially in Utrecht.
And the rest of the world?
I think we're seeing the emergence of
four clear bloes. Europe, the Americas,
Asia and Australia/New Zealand. I
think you'11 see similar developments,
rationalizations around the world.
Next year will be very much a year of
consolidation. We are not going to
increase the number of our products,
we are going to focus on servicing our
customers, and that's easier said than
done. It will be a year of rationalizing
and streamlining Europe and sorting
out Utrecht. If we do that well and
profitably - and 1 think that looking at
the budgets now, we can be profitable,
not in heaven, even taking into account
that we are still being bitten by some
country risk - it's still a very volatile
world. Next year will not be a
spectacular one, but if we can get
things to work the way they should, if
we can get the infrastructure to tick
along and the front and back offices
synergized, then I think you'11 see
more clarity, more transparency.
Then the millennium should be a lot
more comfortable and a superb year
for a very successful Rabobank
International.
I would also like to take this
opportunity to wish all of you a merry
Christmas and a very good 1999.