Sweettalk
Learning leadership
new face
Wh at S NewS Issue 10 December 1999 in brief
Rabobank International was sponsor
to F.O. Licht's fourth International
Sugar and Sweeteners Conference in
Brussels, 27-28 October. Kees Verbeek
of FAR took the stage, with leading ex
perts from the International Sugar
Organization (ISO) among others, for a
look at an industry in turmoil.
Topics under discussion were: restoring a
Kees Verbeek at the internat Utrecht meeting
healthy equilibrium between supply and
demand with forecasts for market im-
provement, the impact of new technolo
gies, developments in alternative sweeten
ers, and corporate restructuring of the
industry. The gathering had a special fo
cus on the EU sugar regime with presenta-
tions on transition to the Euro, upcoming
World Trade Organization negotiations,
and the impact on sugar of pending EU
expansion. 'Wc were pleased to have a
presence there as the food and agribusi-
ness knowledge bank,' says Verbeek. As
part of a strategy promoting FAR's newest
market study, The World of Sugar and
Sweeteners, an attractive map illustrating
sugar production and trade flow was pre-
sented to all attendees. According to
Verbeek, 'our conference sponsorship
serves to raise the credibility and visibility
of RI as a unique niche bank. We reccived
attention from both international and
Dutch press, and several requests from ex-
isting and prospective clients for special-
ized presentations.' Following the confer
ence, our relationship managers and
product specialists in sugar from around
the network convened for an internal
meeting in Utrecht. Says Verbeek, 'we're
keeping the momentum going through
several special services. FAR recently went
to Cuba to support a relationship with a
key cliënt there, and we were hired by a
Dutch sugar company for strategie advi-
sory services as well.'
Project leaders and managers from
around the network are being offered
the chance to refine the 'juggling' skills
necessary for handling complex projects.
And participants of the second course in
the Project Management program, held 8-
10 November in Amsterdam, kept all of
the balls in the air. That is, during a jug
gling demonstration illustrating the art of
'letting go' yet still keeping control over
the many aspects of a project. The course,
organized by training and learning within
human resources and sponsored by the
committee of global administration,
teaches project management skills in a
hands-on setting, using real case studies.
Trainers from PriceWaterhouseCoopers
focus on both the 'soft' side of the subject
including interpersonal skills, group dy-
namics and conimunication, and the
'hard' side, namely methodology and uni
form standards currently being established
within the bank. Participating in the
November course were members of the
New York branch, the London office, and
the Utrecht office. 'It was a valuable
opportunity to meet colleagues from these
different offices and exchange views on
project management,' says Ruth Sanders,
project member of Utrecht Finance Oper-
ation. 'Ideas on leadership and motivating
team members according to their charac-
teristics and different roles within a pro
ject were a strong point of the course.' On
the 'hard' side, all agreed on the impor-
tanee of having a nianual outlining spe-
cific project planning standards within
Rabobank International - currently being
written by strategy and program manage
ment. Says Henk Rolvink, project man
ager, 'we're busy devising a project plan
ning document containing the basic
standards a project manager should use in
addition to their own ways of managing a
project. This will enable consistent project
reporting on key issues for senior manage
ment.' Plans will be kept on file so that all
may learn from best practices.
Project management courses will be
offered next year. For more information
contact Hettie Kruijf of training and
learning on +31 30 216 61 66
Willem A.J. Beelderts tuin Emmichoven (60) bas accepted the
appointment as chairman of the management board of Rabo
Securities, effective immediately. Beelaerts comes out of pri
vate business to join our forces for a limited period of time
(two years) with the aim of getting the shaken security opera-
tions back on track. 7 was familiar with the fine reputation
of Rabobankand knew it to be an organization with a lot of
know-how and capability,be says. Elelping to create stabil-
ity in an A1 organization is a nice challenge, and one in
which am happy to play a role.Beelaerts bas more than
30 years of experience in the equity business in the Nether-
lands. Among other positions, he served as member of the executive board of
Van Lanschot Bankiers, and as chairman of the investment division ofNMB Bank
(now part of ING). Most recently he led the merger process of a subsidiary of Mees
Pierson Wesselius Securities and KBW Effectenbank in the Netherlands. His short term
priority will be to reinforce key management positions within Securities.
Wc will have more on developments at Rabobank Securities in our next issue.
Masthead
Coordination and Distribution
Mirjam Diepenbrock, Marketing RI
Managing Editor Anne Lavelle
(TheWrite Company)
Editors David Brown, Naomi LindtLisa Petrie
Editorial Address
Rabobank International Marketing, UC B652
P.O.Box 17100,3500 HG Utrecht
Telephone +31 30 216 2433
Telefax +31 30 2161976
Rabomail
mirjam.diepenbrockoutc.rabobank.com
Design the writc comp<m\ .Amsterdam
Lithography Zetterij Niek van Dijk, Amsterdam
Printing Drukkerij Cliteur bv, Amsterdam
Please send address changes by e mail to
Mirjam Diepenbrock, Marketing RI
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