Seeing green
Many of RI's
General Managers
and Country Heads
have changed
territories recently.
The Word catches
up with them to hear
their experience of
the diverse
organizational
cultures.
Jan Molenaar
Fergus Murphy
Three years ago, Jan Molenaar was given the
unexpected privilege of being able to transfer
his extensive retail career spanning 26 years
with Rabobank in the Netherlands to the then
newly-acquired ACC Bank in Ireland. In his role
as Deputy Chief Executive Officer he was heavily
involved in the execution of a new ACC Bank
business plan. From a high street bank with
mainly small retail clients to a niche-orientation
directed to business customers, ACC Bank has
undergone a fast and profitable transformation.
In the past three years the balance sheet has
doubled. Rabobank has contributed substantial
liquidity, solvency, and professional support
towards this development. Sister companies
Rabo Securities and DLL became important
product providers for ACC Bank. Molenaar
experienced a biggerthan expected difference
between domestic banking in Ireland and
Flolland. Lending in Ireland is much more asset-
based and checks still play a very important role.
While Molenaar is looking forward to returning
to Eindhoven in his new position as Flead of
Domestic Lending, he considers his time at ACC
Bank as having been very personally and
professionally fulfilling and he will miss the Irish
eloquence, humor and, of course, the Irish pubs.
Fergus Murphy had been working for Rabobank in Ireland forten years to the
day when he moved to Asia to be Regional General Manager. 'Since moving to
Asia, I feel like l've been working in my back-garden for the last ten years because
Asia is so large.' Of the differences, Murphy says, 'In terms of daily functions it's
really quite similar, a bank is a bank. The difference is that l'm working on a larger
platform; cross-border, cross-cultural and cross-time zone. Now l'm covering ten
unfamiliar countries, so there's lots of cultural differences and diverse regulations
The variety is huge, and that's what I enjoy most - it's the spice of life.' Flow does
he keep track of it all? 'You just have to get in there and roll up your sleeves. l've
had to get to grips with things quite quickly. So after five months, l'm pretty
comfortable in my shoes. Luckily, I also have good people working with me -
their local business savvy is crucial.'
The Word
