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Customers in the know
Dramatic tour de force
Rabobank International played host to
a group of prominent Netherlands
branch clients during a special Rl-style
three-day 'tour de France' last month.
Besides front-row seats for nail-biting
finish to the real Tour de France, the
agenda offered a stimulating seminar on
trends in knowledge management.
Participants were not only treated to
cutting edge theory in the challenging
field of knowledge management, but also
case studies drawn from real-life business
experience within the Rl group. What
was evident to all at the close of the one-
day seminar was the fact that success
requires a unique balance between logic
and creativity.
James Kochan, Director of Knowledge
Management at the consultants Ernst and
Young, delivered a fascinating insight into
global 'best practice' in this decisive held,
highlighting ways that knowledge can
be most intelligently distributed and ap-
plied to enrich an cntire organization.
Hans Meegens, chairntan of our man
agement team, also introduced several
important Rabobank contributors in-
cluding Patrick Guyvcr of F&A, who
demonstrated our new Insight system
and discussed the concept of structuring
knowledge around specifk business corn-
munities, as well as Theo van Koningsveld
of GFM, who suggested methods of iden-
tifying and prohtably acting upon trends
as they emerge from the daily cascade of
market developments. Finally, in a sur
prise appearance, the violinist Miha
Pogacnik drew some unexpected connec-
tions between rnusic and commercial cre
ativity, showing how a well-tuned listen-
ing car can widen and heighten our
perception and confer a decisive advan-
tage in a business world overloaded by a
cacophony of raw data.
Despite severe initial reverses in this year's Tour de France
bicycle race, Rabobank's cycle team powered to victory in the
prestigious hnal stage of the event, which ended with a triumphal
circuit of the Champs Elysees. This year's event was not only the
fastest on record, with an average speed
above 40 kph, but also one of the most
gruelling to date for the individual riders
and teams concerned. Virtually all
participants were doggcd by setbacks
early in the race, most notably a second
stage crash that brought down scores of
riders and crippled the chances for
several favourites including Rabo's own
Michael Boogerd, who by his own
admission had already peaked early in
the season and was riding below his best
forrn. Nevertheless, the team was able tu^
deliver a convincing victory in the
finishing sprint, providing a dramatic
and high-profile close to the challenging
three-week long race.
