4
It's crucial that we
synchronise with
the member banks
STAKEHOLDER VALUE MEMBER BANKS
Providing support
Building relationships
Hans van Hooren, Region Manager Corporate
Clients region North West Netherlands at Rl
Hans van Hooren (1961)
is Region Manager
Corporate Clients, region
North West Netherlands
at Rabobank International.
Hans is an experienced
Wholesale banker and
began hiscareerwith
Rabobank at a member
bank, as Director of
Commercial Banking and
Acting General Manager.
Hejoined Rabobank
International as a Senior
Relationship Manager
with Corporate Clients
Netherlands in 2006.
Rabobank Schiphol, which is located next to the country's main
airport and its capital city, Amsterdam, is a large member bank
in the Netherlands. Jan van den Bogert explains that the area
is home to numerous multinational companies, many of which
are active in the import or export trade. 'The area we serve is
extremely dynamic, with many industries connected directly
or indirectly to the airport, aviation, freight, or the horticultural
sector, which is very active in this region. Most of our clients are
either Dutch companies that trade internationally, or international
companies that have a local presence. Since 2006, when we started
building our corporate banking team, we've grown from five FTEs
to around 31 FTEs today. Such explosive growth means we have to
service the needs of an ever-expanding list of corporate clients, but
to do it effectively we also need the help of RI's Corporate Clients
Netherlands department," he says.
The primary aim of Hans van Hooren's team is to help member
banks serve their corporate clients. Van Hooren: "Essentially,
we work for the member banks. We offer specialist advice
and products to their clients, which include the provision of
treasury products, cash management advice, credit analysis, and
acquisition fïnance products. We draft credit applications, carry
out negotiations with clients of member banks and, as part of
a Deal Team, try to close large deals. Our overall ambition is to
become market leader in the mid-corporate market, which we
define as companies with sales of between EUR 30 million and
EUR 250 million. To date, our market share is around 22 percent,
but our aim is to increase this over the coming two to three
years to 30 percent or more. However, to achieve that target, it's
crucial that we synchronise with the member banks, as we're
working to their deadlines and in their markets."
Developing strong business relationships takes time and requires
trust, patience, understanding and, above all, professionalism. It's
not uncommon for Rabobank Schiphol's relationship managers (RMs)
to develop a rapport with clients
over many years, providing
product support and advice at
each stage of the businesses'
development. Jeroen Broeknellis
explains that the RMs at
Rabobank Schiphol can be
seen as the 'drivers of the bus',
steering the relationship in the
right direction, and responding to
signals provided by their clients.
Broeknellis: "When we deal with
mid-corporate clients, our RMs
are in charge. They can be seen
as the director of the Deal Team
- which is the group of product
specialists who advise clients -
and they make the decision as to
whether or not we need to ask Rl
for assistance."
This assistance can come in many forms, with member banks able
to tap into RI's vast wealth and depth of knowledge and product
ISSUE 28
Rl WORLD
