We never look at
our products
a standalone basis
BANKING SPECIAL
analyses of their business, and this enables us to get to
know their operations intimately. And, of course, this level
of understanding is vital not only to manage a client's risk
profile successfully, but to anticipate their needs better. For
example, construction companies have an intra-year cash
financing need as they are usually paid at the end of the
year, but they have an even bigger non-cash financing
need for e.g. performance guarantees, and we therefore
provide solutions that seamlessly match these business
specific financing needs. At the same time, we look for
opportunities to involve other product groups. We never
look at our products on a standalone basis."
Although the potential to cross-sell is great, often it's the
security of knowing that almost any wholesale product
can be sourced from within Rabobank that bolsters clients'
confidence. Wim Visser explains that because De Lage
Landen (DLL) finances all kind of assets, from bottling lines at
drinks manufacturers to full-service car leasing at telecoms
giants, introducing product specialists from across Rabobank
is an integral part of the business.
lf products can be seen as the bedrock of a successful
wholesale franchise, then Rabobank can confidently say
its wholesale offering is built on a solid foundation. With a
cliënt offering that spans the globe, and a product portfolio
that ranges from interest rate derivatives to fully operational
car leasing, it's Rabobank's product capabilities and cliënt
focus that will enable it to succeed in its ambition to become
leader in the Dutch wholesale segment by 2013. So how do
product specialists from across the Group view the role of
their departments in supporting Rabobank's aims?
For Els Kamphof, the focus is very much on cliënt intimacy.
She explains that being able to offer clients the right
products at the right time comes about only when
you understand a client's business from the inside out.
Kamphof: "At corporate lending, we know our clients very
well. We discuss strategy and future plans regularly with
our clients and carry out a regular and thorough financial
Visser: "We try to look for opportunities to add value to
Rabobank and its product offering, and we adapt our
products and structure to fit within Wholesale (the F&A
and Large Corporates sector). We participate in the Rl Client
Coverage Model, and team up with relationship managers
to exchange prospect lists and contacts, and to develop the
best solutions for Rabobank clients. And because we also
Els Kamphof (1967)
ISSUE 28 A RI WORLD
