m:
strategy organization
F&A in focus - American style
Structuring matters
AsiaPacific - product delivery priority
Noambiguity
Optimistic mood
Exit scenario
What's NewS Issue 9 October/November 1999
RI's F&A activities have been defined
in regional terms. According to
Reinier Mesritz, who headed up the SRT,
regionalization is a response to how world
markets and world players are developing.
It is not just about F&A, he argues, it is
about globalization. 'Time differences in-
fluence all decision making so regionaliza
tion has already made a lot of sense to a
lot of people. Our own business is run on
a global basis, but we want regional peo
ple to be in charge locally. The whole idea
is - where possible - to bring the decision-
making capability as close to customers as
you can, which is why we're giving people
locally as rnuch autonomy as we can.' The
regions will also have a level of autonomy
so that decision-making can avoid the dis-
tance problem. 'Then you need your head
office or global organization on top of
that for the major policy issues.'
Another aspect of regionalization which
appeals strongly to Mesritz and most of
'his' team throughout the Americas is the
focus it will allow. Til come back to
health care in a moment,' he says. 'First,
let me say that for both North and South
American F&A we'11 take what we've got
and improve on it by focusing all our en-
ergy. In general we need to improve so
that we are recognized, well known as the
F&A bank here in the Americas and
around the world. That's the goal.' He is
convinced that focusing on F&A as such
is the only way for RI to make a differ-
ence. 'If you talk to customers, which is
what the SRT did, they teil us we're an
F&A bank - they want our expertise, our
knowledge. That is what we need to capi-
talize on.' Asked if the inclusion of inter
national corporates represented an anorn-
aly, he says no. 'We've also built expertise
in a number of businesses like structur-
ing,' he says. 'We're known for that exper
tise and we will continue to build that
customer base because it is an area where
we can distinguish ourselves. There is no
ambiguity there. It is the same strategy.'
3
corporates.
In addition,
there will
now be a
third group
which does
not fit either
focus group.
It will be run
by Tom
Stevens who will manage these relation-
ships for the time being. We have no in-
tention of simply saying: we're closing
your account. There will be a three-year
period to exit these relationships in a very
professional manner, so that the compa-
nies will be very happy with our services.'
People in the Americas are already at
work on strengthening focus. Mesritz is
not particularly concerned about the
smooth running of the region. 'Don't for-
get,' he says, 'we have a lot of very good
people running the business in both Amer
icas. And we're fortunate here in that we
have quite a few people who always feit
that F&A should be our focus. They are
very happy and motivated. Of course, we
also have people who feel we should do
more things, and you'll always have a
small group of doubters. In general, I'd
say we have a lot of the Hrst group, some
of the second, and relatively few of the
third. The mood is fairlv optimistic in
North and South America and people are<
saying: let's go out there and do it.'
"eeting the service-level agreements which will form
Lan integral part of how we work together in the fu
ture will be a major challenge for Sipko Schat's structuring
team. At present, there are teams of specialists at some
strategie locations around the world, but Schat is cur-
rently in the process of discussions on the right framework
#-| for cooperation with the various F&A and other business
units. 'Basically,' he says, 'a lot of our business is aimed at
corporates and other customers in industrialized countries
because we need accountancy and regulatory environ
ments in which to operate. So in a sense, that gives us a guideline for where we need to4
locate expertise or increase it. Once we know what requirements are envisaged, we will
act.' For the people at Rabo Securities, the situation is much the same in that Andries
Mak van Waay and his team are also involved in discussions with business-unit heads
on how to streamline cooperation. More in a future issue of What's Neti'S.
On the health care portfolio, he explains,
tough decisions have had to be taken.
'What we've already done is defined those
companies which should be grouped with
F&A and those which are international
For ad-interim business-unit head Hanno Riedlin, the
major challenge in AsiaPacific will be strengthening the
way we deliver products. According to Riedlin, AsiaPacific
has always been comparatively F&A focused in its busi
ness, although the crisis of the last couple of years has cer-
tainly hit the region hard and caused its own brand of
havoc. 'So,' he says, 'in terms of strategy, our starting
point is rather easier than, say, the challenge in Europe.
However, there is a lot to do.' As in Europe, the region
will be reviewing the cliënt list so that the existing focus
can be further strengthened. And like Europe, recruiting will also be launched, specifi-
cally in product specialists with an F&A background and expertise.
