When Rob ten Heggeler joined
Rabobank in September 2006, he
brought a wealth of international
banking experience with him.
As Head of Corporate Clients
the Netherlands (CCN) and
Rabo Securities, he is the only
Managing Board member directly
responsible for the Dutch business
only. The Word caught up with
Ten Heggeler to talk about his first
impressions and his ambitious
strategy plans.
Culture clash
Rob ten
Heggeler's fïrst
mpressions
The MBRI's decision in 2006 to bundie the activities of CCN
and Rabo Securities under the same management was a
logical one. Although a mixed bag, all activities inter-relate
and all tend to focus on corporate clients. By creating greater
cooperation between the two divisions, better returns from
our corporate clients can be generated. To act as one team,
a common strategy is very important', says Ten Heggeler.
'And our strategy is clear: efficiënt allocation of capital and
modernising the credit operations, anticipating further
internationalisation of our clients, refining the quality of our
products, professionalising sales and management processes,
closer cooperation with the local member banks, and paying
greater attention to human capital and to embedding a "cliënt
first" mindset.'
Retuming to the Netherlands and joining Rabobank did pose
somecultural challenges for the newest member of the MBRI.
'ABN AMRO and Fortis are more centralised, and processes are
more structured which also makes them more consistent.' In
comparing his experiences abroad, Ten Heggeler is struck by
the Dutch propensity to never take "no" for an answer. 'We
need to learn to accept when a decision has been made,'
20 I The Word
