I see the strength
oj the team as being
one >fthe bank's
greatest qualities
r i i
operate Athlon Car Lease and employ some
of the top specialists within the car leasing
industry, we are frequently approached
directly by customers interested in our
services within this area. The same applies
for our vendor finance activities, where
we are one of the key global players.
Consequently, when we're approached by
non-RI clients, we aim to introducé them to
other product specialists."
Another of DLL's strengths is its partnering
philosophy. Visser explains: "Our partnership
philosophy is to support Rabobank and
its businesses, which, I think, is especially
pertinent these days, with the banking and
finance industry changing so rapidly. Clients
are looking for long-term relationships with
their finance companies, and our ability to
provide factoring programmes, vendor finance
or leasing programmes, backed by Rabobank's expertise
elsewhere, is a very valuable proposition."
Following a period of turbulence in the Dutch banking
sector, the market has now stabilised and many of
Rabobank's competitors are eager to capture a larger share
of the wholesale market. According to Martijn Sorber, in
addition to the strength of its product offering, one of
Rabobank's key selling points is the quality of its services.
Sorber: 'The competition is intensifying in the Dutch market,
with some of the major players now competing on quality.
However, we already have the highest-quality sales team in
the Netherlands [Editorial: according to research carried out
by Greenwich Associates] and we are able to leverage on
the strong relationships that the corporate bank already has
in place. By aligning resources and connecting the different
departments, we're able to capitalise on the strength of
the product teams, all of which are highly experienced
in working as a unit. This promotes strong knowledge
sharing, helps create strong cliënt bonds and streamlines
contact with other departments within Rabobank. I see the
strength of the team as being one
of the bank's greatest qualities."
For Els Kamphof, creating a market-
leading proposition begins with a
market-leading attitude. She explains
that her team should be smart, proactive
and trained to spot opportunities
for clients to take lending products,
financing solutions or other wholesale
offerings. Kamphof: "Our goal is to
provide the best lending products to our
clients, but we never look at our products on a standalone
basis. As a team, we need to be both intellectually smart
and commercially smart, and we need to be able to offer
the best service available in the market. Market leadership is
very much based on the perception of whether or not you
are market leader, so we need to lead transactions - which
means we need to underwrite or coordinate financings.
By working closely with senior bankers, GFM Debt Capital
Markets, GFM Treasury - all of which are client-facing entities
- and credit risk management, we cultivate relationships
that can be called upon the moment we spot opportunities,
enabling us to to service clients efficiently and effectively."
ISSUE 28 a RI WORLD
