Rl organization
iTIP for support task
As the strategie review team (SRT) continues its efforts to deliver an adjusted
strategy for Rl, the practicalities of implementing the results have not been
forgotten. The Transition Implementation Project (TIP), sometimes incorrectly
dubbed the 'mini-Euroland project', was launched on June 15. Headed up by
Willem Cramer from our Brazil operation and backed by a team of senior people
from around Europe, its multi-faceted task is to help shape an organizational
environment that allows us to perform and achieve.
Tough proposition
What'sNewS Issue 7-July 1999 9
Hands on approach from Jonathan Loredo,
who is flanked by Willem Cramer (TIP - right),
Valerie Boas (SRT) and (far left) Manfred
Schneider up from Frankfurt for the offsite
even teil them its going on, although
people are smart and they always find out.
We do it differently. The SRT, which is 10
people from different regions,
backgrounds and disciplines, is running
wirli the project, supported by McKinsey.
And the team involves countless other
people from important parts of the
organization. To me that is effective
communication because it is knowledge
sharing. When they go home, they talk
about it and there is a multiplier effect. So
this whole process is not a board room
exercise, it is very much work-floor based.
How long will it take to get Utrecht's house
in order?
Depends on how you define getting the
house in order. Utrecht as in the Nether-
lands branch, is profitable and perforins
well above a lot of other branches. So in
that sense, its house is very much 'in or
der'. In 'Utrecht' there are number of is
sues which are more infrastructural than
anything else. I think all organizations de-
bate the headoffice issue - should it he
large, should it be small. I believe a
headoffice should not be a bureaucratie
overhead, but rather a support staff to
the business. I'm not sure where we are
at this time. In some areas we may be a
support for the rest of the organization,
in others we may be a bureaucratie
headache. We should cut out the bureau
cratie headaches.
There has also been a change in reporting
lines. You now report directly to Hans Smits
whereas in the recent functionalization of
executive board tasks Henk Visser was des-
ignated responsible for Rl.
Hans Smits has taken responsibility for Rl
so it makes sense for me to talk to him
directly. There is a clear open door culture
in Rabobank anyway so in fact I talk to
everybody. What I do hope is that
Henk Visser will continue his excellent
coverage of customers. 1 have never before
seen people right at the top of an organi
zation dedicating so much time to
customers in the way he does. We can all
learn from that.
I dte official wording of the TIP team's
X mandate is to 'support SRT in defin-
ing the strategy for Europe, starting with
Utrecht/I.ondon and head office. In addi-
tion, to propose, obtain approval and en-
sure implementation of a new operating
model in line with the strategy currently
under development.' Cramer prefers to ex-
plain TIP's task using the example of
building a house. 'You have the architect
who comes up with the blueprint,' he
says, 'and then you need a contractor to
carry out the plan, making adjustments
where needed so that the plan can be im-
plemented efficiently and consistently.
That is TIP's role, to make sure that the
strategy that is ultimately produced by the
SRT in conjunction with the managing
board, and the resulting operating model
is practicable, operable and accessible.'
The development of a new operating
model is a major task for TIP - related
points form the majority of the
'deliverables' list included in the team's
mandate. 'What we're talking about here,'
Cramer explains, 'is not only how we can
create the kind of operating model
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