On the one hand- we are a support junction; but on the other we see ourselves as lega risk managers 9 STAKEHOLDER VALUE The story in 15 seconds Van Nierop and Carlier are both passionate about the importance of lawyers having plenty of interaction with the business in order to be as close to it as possible. Both men rile against the idea of legal academies sitting in an ivory tower pronouncing on legal matters. Their approach is to grab the laptop, get out of the legal corridors, meet counterparts and find solutions on the spot. "Both Floris and I have done a lot of transactional work here at the bank, and our experience is that this approach works best. It is also very much appreciated by the business," Van Nierop says. Such an approach makes a difference to the speed of the deal. And that can be the deciding factor between deal or no deal. So the legal team is aware of the need to contribute to the commercial interest of the deal, but it also has to ensure everyone involved is comfortable with the legal risks involved. Being on the ground as the deal is happening, makes that easier to do. However, there is a delicate balance between expediency and caution. Carlier: "It's oneof the main challengesfacing an in-house lawyer. But that is precisely why it is so important for us as lawyers to really understand the business, the drivers of the business and Rabobank's legal department has streamlined its set-up to provide added value to dieqts. The changes reflect the growth in size and complexity of RI's business. The main changes include additional support from the Utrecht head office for the in-house lawyers in the branches and subsidiaries and a more focussed and formalised global outlook. As a result, there's greater knowledge sharing across the global legal teams and RI's network enjoys a one-stop shop at the head office for legal matters. The new structure is helping to shape a more standardised, global approach to legal risk management within Rl. ISSUE 29 i OBER RI WORLD

Rabobank Bronnenarchief

blad 'RI World' (EN) | 2011 | | pagina 26