Interface Magazine - September 2012

STAR IS RECRUITING: ChAllENGE yoURSElf!

STAR lUSTUm PARTy 18 oCTobER 2012

interFACeMagazine of the rotterdaM school of ManageMent, erasMus university • voluMe 29: issue 1 • sePteMBer 2012

bE ThE ChANGE

Interviews with i.a.

hERbERT hAINERCeO AdidAs

fAbIENNE ChAPoTOwner OF FAB

JoANNE KEllERmANdireCtOr de nederlAndsChe BAnk

SMW special

A23753_interface_september Cover.indd 1 28-08-12 16:46

120 UUR MADRID: DE KPMG MADRID BUSINESS EXPERIENCE

© 2012 KPMG N.V., alle rechten voorbehouden.

21 T/M 25 NOVEMBER 2012. SCHRIJF JE IN VÓÓR 1 OKTOBER OP WWW.GAAAN.NU/120UURMADRID

123220-ADV MBE A3 LIGGEND.indd 1 24-08-12 14:31

120 UUR MADRID: DE KPMG MADRID BUSINESS EXPERIENCE

© 2012 KPMG N.V., alle rechten voorbehouden.

21 T/M 25 NOVEMBER 2012. SCHRIJF JE IN VÓÓR 1 OKTOBER OP WWW.GAAAN.NU/120UURMADRID

123220-ADV MBE A3 LIGGEND.indd 1 24-08-12 14:31

While sitting behind my desk at the staR office WRiting my

fiRst ‘pResidential’, i heaR the voice of bob dylan thRough my headphone singing: ‘the times they aRe a-changin’.

Summer holidays The summer did not bring us the weather we hoped for, but who can predict the weather these days? Meanwhile the landscape of studying is shifting due to interceptions of the government. A more strict policy will rule in the future. At least for now, at September 12th, Dutch society will vote for their new government. Who knows what lies in store?

While a rainy summer comes to its end, the sun rises again at the STAR office. The 34th Board has left the office after an exciting and excellent year, and fresh students hungering for new knowledge and experiences have taken over the office: the 35th STAR Board. Alongside them the new Erasmus Consultancy Project committee (former International Business Studies committee) and the Erasmus Recruitment Days committee have taken their seats.

Meanwhile the STAR Management Week (SMW) committee, were and still are, working hard to organize a week that will bring our members new experiences and knowledge. This year’s theme of the SMW will be known as: “Be the Change”, in which the entrepreneurial seminar will take place but also the newly introduced Women’s day and a German Recruitment Event.

There is something interesting with people their mindsets, because they always have the eagerness to change their habits and the things they already have. This could be seen as something that keeps you sharp and brings excitement in life, looking for the best practice. During the SMW some speakers will tell you about how they changed the world or how they changed their surroundings. One thing I know for sure, I will be there to listen and learn from their stories, so that maybe one day I can stand in their shoes and say that I changed what I wanted to change.

Are you willing to do something extra next to your study? Do you want to organize a trip to a foreign country and amaze the participants with the beauties of the country? Organize a case competition for a multinational or be the next one who will interview a CEO? Being responsible for organizing parties and lots of events? Apply at rsmstar.nl/recruitment before 19 September and become an active member of STAR.

Like Bob Dylan once sang in a total different political landscape, times change. Like the weather and like the new governmental policies, perhaps like everything, things change. But what is our voice in this unpredictable part of our world? I personally do not know this, but like Bob Dylan did, he made sure he was part of the change. What is it that a chairman of STAR can change in the world? Hard to say, perhaps in a year I might figure out that I could not change the things that I wanted to change. But I know one thing for sure and that is that I will try. I enjoy helping people around me so they can enrich themselves. Enriching them enriches me. But now I am raising this question to you: are you willing to enrich and change the lives of other people?

Sincerely,

Rik HendriksChairman XXXVth Board

text: Rik hendRiks

4inteRfaceseptembeR 2012

While WRiting this editoRial, most of us

aRe still enjoying theiR holidays and the staRt of the academic yeaR seems ages aWay. but by noW, the academic yeaR has begun. lectuRes have staRted, pencils have been shaRpened, and books have been bought – We’Re off foR anotheR yeaR of developing ouR skills.

Further developing our skills most of the time doesn’t happen by it self. You will have to make certain moves, take a different road and challenge your boundaries. Whether it is by attending an extra class, applying for that new job or taking up a different project, one thing is key; change! Changing things in your live has proven to expand your boundaries and improve your skills. Although it might not come easy, in most cases it defi nitely won’t, the satisfaction will be worth the hassle.

Change also comes with setting new goals. What do I want to achieve in the upcoming academic year? Although (or maybe because) most people will have given up on their New Year’s resolutions by now, the time to set new goals is now.

Not constrained by any social pressure to set the most moral goals, but taking the choices and setting the goals you really want. It could be as near as scoring that 9 on average for the fi rst trimester exams, or as far off as being the next CEO of Adidas (an interview with their current CEO, Herbert Hainer, can be found on page 12). What do I need to change to achieve those goals?

You should ‘Be the change’, as the SMW ‘theme’ says, because it is defi nitely not only about changing the external factors. Changing your own ways for the better is at least as important, and maybe even inspiring others. Leading by example as some might say. For all we know the next Gandhi or Mandela could be among us. Which brings me to the next important factor while setting your goals, another one regularly mentioned by motivational speakers, do something you like doing. By experience I can tell you that it will improve your results and will cost you a lot less effort doing it.

The Interface magazine itself has also been subject to change, with the digitalised world we live in it can now also be found as an app. Make sure to grab yourself a ‘copy’ in the App-store.

With setting new goals, we should also be reviewing previous ones. Several of my personal goals had to do with the Interface magazine this past year and with this being the last issue of our committee it is time to start reviewing. On behalf of the entire committee I would like to thank you for reading, and hopefully enjoying, our articles over the past year.

With kind regards,Bas Louwman

text: bas louWman

Interface Magazine is published by STAR (Study Association Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University). The editorial staff aims to promote the exchange of knowledge, experience and opinions among all those involved at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University.

Executive ProducerMirna Steur

Editor-in-ChiefBas Louwman Creative DirectorHande Macit

EditorsCarina Solbach, Charif van Zetten

WritersBas Louwman, Carina Solbach, Charif van Zetten, Hande Macit, Kassandra de Jong, Philip Lazar

Graphic design and productionOCC dehoog, media partnerswww.occ-dehoog.nl

Circulation15.000 copies

MailingFour times a year to students, employ-ees and alumni of Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University; once a year to students Economics and Business Administration across the Netherlands.

AdvertisingLinda [email protected]

AddressSTAR Interface, RSM Erasmus University, P.O. Box 1738, Room T04-53, 3000 DR Rotterdam, E-mail: [email protected] (not for change of adress); Tel: (010) 408 2037; Fax: (010) 408 9023

Change of addressTo change your adress, go to www.rsmstar.nl/mystar

Copyright© September 2012, study association STAR No portion of the information in this magazine may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the editorial board. www.rsmstar.nl/interface

CO

LO

PH

ON

inteRfaceseptembeR 20125

Karien Dassen, trainee Commercial Banking, ING

I can choose so many paths within one corporate culture

Where do you want to go?ING wants Commercial Banking trainees. If you have the hands-on mentality and skills to back it up, you’ll � nd the bankto be a world of opportunity. Try, practice and discover what you’re good at. Like helping the bank’s clients with commercialbanking anywhere in the world. We’ll throw you in at the deep end, but not without a coach, a lifeline and ample rewards.Join the ING International Talent Programme at ING.nl/graduates

Karien Dassen, trainee Commercial Banking, ING

I can choose so many paths within one corporate culture

Where do you want to go?ING wants Commercial Banking trainees. If you have the hands-on mentality and skills to back it up, you’ll � nd the bankto be a world of opportunity. Try, practice and discover what you’re good at. Like helping the bank’s clients with commercialbanking anywhere in the world. We’ll throw you in at the deep end, but not without a coach, a lifeline and ample rewards.Join the ING International Talent Programme at ING.nl/graduates

www.rsmstar.nl/recruitmentfor questions send an email to [email protected]

CHALLENGEYOURSELFBecome active at STAR! Interested? Apply before wednesday September 19th. Go to rsmstar.nl/recruitment

10

1922/26

2438

SMWWomen’s dayA day fi lled with business women

German recruitment eventVisiting two major fi rms in Frankfurt

event overviewWhat will happen during the SMW?

programmeWhat happens when?

Star lustum partyWho’s in?

12

1630

36

40

Interviewsherbert hainerCEO of Adidas Group

Joanne KellermanCEO Nederlandsche Bank

fabienne chapot Founder of FAB

Joseph oubelkas Writer ‘400 letters from my mother’

philip hessCo-founder of Senz Umbrellas

iNDeX

42

14

19 rSM pages

36


18274647

2

48

6

1420

29

32

Otheri like being a studentDespite of the changing environment

holland vs. GermanyThe everlasting encounter

the Glass ceilingGender-based discrimination?

from actor to producerWho is Reinout Oerlemans?

Advertisers IndexKpMG

iNG

akzoNobel

campina

NBo

NiBc

pwc

28

38

32

20the NeW Star appGet to the store!


More and more companies all over the world see the importance of improving the gender balance. Still only one in seven board members at Europe’s top fi rms is a woman (13.7%). At this rate, it would take more than 40 years to reach a signifi cant gender balance (at least 40%).

After Viviane Reding called upon European companies to voluntarily increase women’s presence in corporate boards by signing the ‘Women on the Board Pledge for Europe’, only 24 companies across Europe have signed the pledge. “I regret to see that despite our calls, self-regulation so far has not brought about satisfactory results,” she said.

Why is it important to have women in your board? Reports on gender balance have shown that having women in top positions can signifi cantly increase business performance, improve competitiveness and lead to economic gains. For example, Ernst & Young found that the earnings from the 290 largest publicly-listed companies with at least one woman in the board were signifi cantly

higher than in those that had no female board member.

With this as a given, it is not diffi cult to see why shareholders would want to increase diversity. Because of this trend we organized a Women’s Day for all talented female students of the Erasmus University. The day will take place on the 17th of October. De main goal of this day is to inspire and make them aware of the consequences.

The fi rst part of the day will consist of an Inhouse morning at different companies. You can choose which one you would like to get to know better. They will tell you more about their company and how it is to work there as a woman. Next to that you will work on an interactive case and meet different recruiters who will tell you more about the selection procedure.After the Inhouse morning a bus will bring you back to the Erasmus University where you will attend a workshop. Two different workshops will teach you about how to present yourself during an interview or how to do an assessment.

After this, the Women’s Conference will start at the Senaatzaal at the Erasmus University. Several women at the top of big companies will tell you their story. There are different successful speakers with different backgrounds and different points of views. Next to that there will be a penal discussion, to talk about the different subject and to share your opinion. After this long day there is time to relax at the social drink and talk with the other female students or different business women. So want to reach the top and be the change?! Be there on the Women’s Day! Subscribe now at the stands at T-3, at the C-hall or at www.managementweek.nl. ■

W h y W o m e n M a t t e r !Women’s Day

Tijd Activiteit

09:00 - 13:00 uur Inhouse Morning

14:00 - 16:00 uur Workshop

16:30 - 18:30 uur Women’s Conference

18:30 - 20:00 uur Borrel

Host of the day: Founder and owner of Papillon & Partners, Elizabeth van Geerestein Adjunct-Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam

Speakers

Willemijn Maas CEO Avro

Yolanda Eijgenstein Founder of the companies ‘Wie Mailt Wat?’ and ‘Why Company?

Joanne Kellermann CEO Nederlandsche Bank

Panel discussion Jacqueline Zuidweg Founder Zuidweg & Partners

Melissa Raczak Director Business Consulting at Deloitte

Lidwien Schils Head Europe Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Finance at Rabobank International at Rabobank

Mascha Driessen Head of YouTube Benelux at Google


Women in leadership positions? It seems that in the past decades this has become a more and more prominent subject. While in the past women in leadership positions were more than scarce and characteristics such as emotional or communicative were used in a derogative rather than positive way, exactly these adjectives now describe why women have made their way to the top and why they should stay there.

It is a simple fact that women have always been good at organizing. Keeping a household, watching and raising children and preventing daily chaos require a unique skillset. And if you ask me these undisputable skills are exactly what give women their advantage in the higher circles of the business world. I am not saying that being a mother and a housewife is exactly the same thing as being a top executive or a CEO but the core aspects of keeping an overview, setting a direction, delegating or maintaining relationships are indeed similar.

Various studies have attempted to unravel the core qualities that make women good leaders, maybe even better leaders than men, and almost all have come to the same conclusion: women in leadership positions impress by their intelligence, empathy, communication skills, relationship focus and their vision. Sensitivity for their surroundings, empathy and compassion enable women to better understand their business partners. Together with their competence in dealing with and articulating feelings and thoughts they can establish long-term, lasting relationships. Additionally, past struggles to demonstrate their ability in order to overcome prejudices have infused women with patience, strive, ambition and a clear vision of where their path should lead them; traits that have helped them walk the extra mile.

Despite these developments however, the term glass ceiling seems to echo from female success. Women, it is said, stand in their own way. The characteristics that make them successful are also the one’s hindering them in reaching the top of the business pyramid. Looking at the many impressive examples of successful women currently surrounding us, I have come to doubt these voices and am beginning to suspect a clearly male origin. If you ask me, the glass ceiling is a constructed mental barrier that slips into non-existence the moment you refuse to believe in it. Women like Christine Lagarde, Marissa Mayer, Sheryl Sandberg, Angela Merkel, Michele Obama, Hilary Clinton, the female members of the elders or the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, have demonstrated that there is little that can stop a woman with a mission. And these are only a handful of names.

As important as these female icons may be in today’s society, however, I think it is time to stop portraying only the differences between

men and women in leadership positions. We should refrain from too much stereotyping as it only leads to an overly black and white picture. There are good and bad leaders, independent of their gender. Instead it might be helpful to pay attention to how men and women can work together to achieve more than they could individually.

Not for nothing has research shown that companies that combine both sexes in their leadership league outperform their competitors or that mixed gender teams are simple more intelligent, more creative and more effective. ■

W o m e n o n t o p !


Elizabeth van Geerestein (host)Lidwien Schils

Mascha Driessen Melissa Raczak Yolanda Eijgenstein

Willemijn Maas

Joanne Kellermann


An interview withHerbert Hainer

1. How did you end up at adidas? I joined adidas in 1987. After getting my degree in business

studies, I joined Procter & Gamble as Marketing + Sales Manager, working for eight years in various sales and marketing positions. When I got the call from a headhunter looking to recruit for Adidas, I immediately knew that he just offered me a job in my dream company where I could com-bine my passion for sport and business.

2. What characteristics does someone need to become as successful as you are?

It takes passion, discipline and dedication to succeed. But above all it takes teamwork and the right people around you!

3. What is the single thing you did that you are most proud of?

Having achieved sustainable success for the adidas Group over more than a decade together with a great team makes me very proud.

4. What is the most valuable lesson you lear-ned during your time at adidas?

Work hard and be nice to people.

5. In what way have you been the change for adidas?

Since we launched our first growth initiative back in 2001, we have fundamentally redefined the competitive lands-cape of our industry and have now created what is univer-sally acknowledged as a global two-horse race. From 2001 to 2011, our sales have more than doubled and our profit has quadrupled. We are now far more diversified and bet-ter balanced than at any point in the past. We expanded into the sport lifestyle market with adidas Originals, a busi-ness by itself bigger than most of our competitors. We are a global organisation that is socially and environmentally responsible. We became a lot faster and we are much more consumer focused. We are innovation and design leaders

with at least one new innovation or meaningful improvement per year.

But it was not only me who did all the changes. It is always teamwork and

I can proudly say that I work with the best team in the industry.

6. In what way has adidas been the change for you?

am very happy in my current role because from my point of view there is no better job in the world.

7. Any future plans? There is always a lot to do. In 2010 we presented our strate-

gic business plan “Route 2015” to ensure the adidas Group maximises the tremendous growth opportunity we believe we still have. The plan aims to grow the business of the entire adidas Group to € 17 billion and to reach an operating margin of 11% sustainably by 2015.

We want to achieve qualitative and sustainable growth by building desirable, leading brands in consumers’ and customers’ perception. I am confident that our strategic business plan will lead us into a new era of success for the adidas Group.

We are in the midst of a step change in our industry. The age of personalisation will radically transform what it means to be a consumer goods company. Within ” Route 2015” we will focus even more on the consumer - acknowledging that today’s world is neither about mass products nor mass mar-keting anymore. It is about building relationships with the individual. By understanding our consumer we can create more meaningful products, services and experiences that build a lasting impression beyond product, price and pro-motion. Programmes like adidas miCoach, mi Performance, miTeam and mi Originals already make us the standout lea-der in this respect.

8. And how will adidas defeat Nike? Our goal as a Group is to lead the sporting goods industry

with brands built on a passion for sports and a sporting lifestyle. Leading the sporting goods industry is not only about having the highest turnover. It is also about intro-ducing innovative products, being close to our consumers and launching impactful communication campaigns. Our results show that we are doing a good job in all these areas and I am convinced that we will continue to excite consu-mers out there.

9. What would you like to say to the students of the Erasmus University?

Whatever you choose to do, do it with passion and I am sure you will be successful in what you do!

12inteRfaceseptembeR 2012 12inteRfaceseptembeR 2012

CEO adidas GROUP


Recently theRe has been some changes made by ouR goveRnment and the univeRsities, that have made the life of a student difficult. i’m talking about the “long-study fine”,the fact that noW you must obtain youR pRopaedeutic Within tWo yeaRs, that you have to eaRn at least 40 esct’s in you fiRst yeaR and maybe soon students Will no longeR be alloWed to Retake a passed eXam.

Not really appealing these rules.. But we mustn’t forget there are also a lot of bright sides about being a student. I will give you some reasons why we all should love this stage of our life! First of all: Freedom of agenda! No, you are not scheduled every day from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. and No, when you fi nally get home you don’t have to continue to work instead of relaxing. It’s all up to you. If you’d like, you can study 24/7, never miss class, ace all your subject and be king/queen of your year. Or, if you prefer, you can go to college(aprox. 2 hours a day), study a bit and go back home to study a bit more, if you feel like it. Or you just don’t bother going to uni at all. Yes of course the university tells us we have to study when we get back home, but be honest how many times during the week do you actually study when you get home after college..?? And how’s checking? Right.. Nobody. It’s all up to you!

Secondly, the fraternities / sororities / study societies. As a student you could join whatever fraternity, sorority or study society you like and work on you social network while enjoying a cold beer and hanging out with your friends. Later on in life, these friends might be able to help you move forward in your career, so fun-time is an investment in your future at the same time! How smart!

Thirdly: (lack of) responsibility. As a student, how much responsibility do you actually have? You have to make sure you have a roof over your head, you pass your exams, you enjoy yourself.. but aside from that, what responsibility to you have? Non! The main responsibility you have when you are student is the responsibility to yourself.

You don’t have to make important decision for society, no the only important decision you have to make is when you are going to open your book and study to pass the exam. If you fail not lots of people will die, loose their jobs or get sick. No, you only failed to pass your exam. It’s up to you to decide what you do.And last but not least: Beer. Yep, student and beer are inseparable.

Does anyone care if you have a hangover during the week? Does anyone care if you drink until you throw up? Does anyone care that you drink every night? No! Nobody cares.. except maybe you, when you have a hangover and you’re stuck in bed with a headache, throwing up over your own sheets.. But that’s up to you.

Having said all this, doesn’t life as a student seems a whole lot more attractive? Becoming a student means that you can live on your own for the very fi rst time. You can make your own decision, eat healthy or buy a pizza for an entire week, clean up your room or don’t clean up your room. Go to college or skip college, you can do whatever you like.

The only thing that’s usually not up to you, as a student, is your fi nances. Yeah, it sucks, but most student lack of money. By the 20th of the month you’re completely broke and craving pay-day.. How can you save some money, as students, to make it to the 24th of the month? Here is my top fi ve how of easy ways to save your money and make it till the end of the month! ■

text: kassandRa de jong


If you’re fi nally ready to spread your wings and fi nd a place to live on your own, it would be a smart thing to subscribe on “http://www.stadswonen.nl”, it’s an easy and clear website on which they offer you all kind of rooms, with roommates or without, you can even decide to life with your partner, it’s all up to what you are searching for. On top of that the rooms they offer are good and most of the time they are quite big and you will also receive housing benefi ts from our government.

Peanut butter. Eat lots of peanut butter. It’s cheap, comes in big quantities, has high nutritional values and is tasty.

There is this site “http://www.studenten.net” and you’ll receive a pass that will give you lots of discounts in the Netherland. For instance you will save up to 10% by an particular Hotel, discounts on your shopping wear, discount when you feel like eating and lots of other discount, just check the web and get the pass to save up lots of money.

And of course after studying really really hard and you feel like you deserved an vacation, or you want to make it back home after you haven’t seen your family for quite a long time. You can always get yourself an ISIC card for only 9 euro and you will get discounts on fl ying with brussels airlines.

If you’re telephone bill is always a lot higher than you expected by the end of the month you can buy a subscription on “http://www.studentmobiel.nl”. You will get more minutes for less money. It is an easy way to save money so you can make it till the end of the month. The main thing you have to be is an student, nothing more and nothing less.


An interview withJoanne Kellermann

1. Could you tell us something about yourself? Who is Joanne Kellermann?

Yes, who is Joanne Kellermann? There are two important things confl icting when talking about identity. The fi rst regards to me as a professional and director from a large institution and as a supervisor of the fi nancial sector. The other is as a woman and mother and I am not going to choose between those two.

2. How did your childhood affect your career? I like this question. It’s almost impossible to think that your

childhood did not have an effect on things. It is self-evident. Within our family doing the best you can is more important than the achievement itself, but this was taken quite literally. I did not have trouble learning when I was in school, it all went quite easy. That is why my parents were never impressed by high grades. If you can do that, you have to do something with it. Quite Calvinistic actually, if you have talent you must use it. That has been the most important for me.

Director de Nederlandsche Bank


Biography:Name: Arianne Joanne KellermannBorn: 27 December 1960 Marital status: Married, 3 children Education: Gymnasium alfa (pre-university education, 1973-1979), Leiden University, Civil Law (1979-1984) Wake me up for: Mango Ice-creamBiggest example: Neelie KroesI WILL statement: Help to build a sustainable fi nancial sector

3. Why did you choose to work for De Nederlandsche Bank and how did you get there?

I was a lawyer specialized in complex international finan-cial transactions. Then I got the chance to work for De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) and what attracted me most was the chance to be involved in more social issues. Here I have the chance to, after being active in the private sector, also be active in the public sector.

4. What are you most proud of? This is a tough question. I think that, with this job, it is

important to show that also a woman at the top of DNB or any other large institution can function well. I don’t know if I can call it pride, but it is something I realise. It has a certain charisma and feel to it. It says something about me, but more importantly, it says something about other women. This is something I really like.

5. What is the most important lesson you had in life?

There are so many! I think that one of the most important things I have learned as a student is that you always have to keep thinking. You have to keep your mind open for questions such as ‘Is this right?’, ‘Are we on the right way?’. Clinging on to things you assume as certain can be very dangerous. That is something I never forget, also in this organization.

6. What is the biggest obstacle you had to overcome as a woman in this male busi-ness world?

That question assumes I had to slay some dragons on my way here, ha ha. No, I think it is not too bad. What I do believe is important, is that at a certain moment I made some choices and that I was very clear in that. I see way too many women who don’t do that. They think ‘I am good at what I do, so people will notice’. However, if you want to reach a certain point in your career you have to make it clear to the people around you.

7. Does this mean there is not a certain obsta-cle a woman will always encounter?

Well, as I said I often see women having ambitions of wanting to make a certain move in their career path, but they don’t let anyone know. They are afraid that they can’t handle it, or they think everyone will magically notice that they are good at what they do. We have learned here that women often have to be approached actively. We have special programs for high potentials and it’s often the men who sign up for this, not the women. When we approach them personally they are enthusiastic and surprised we thought of them. That is partly because of insecurity, but also another way of being. This is fine, but we have lear-ned that we have to pay extra attention to it.

8. How have you been a change for the company?

I came from outsideDNB. It wasn’t directly into the executive board, but it was a high function. I came from the private sector and had worked in London, so I think I came in with, on the one hand, knowledge of the market and on the other a fresh look on things. That can be very refreshing for an organisation. It made sure I could ask questions as ‘Why are things done like this?’. This ensures you often can change things easier than others.

9. How has the company been a change for you?

DNB is a house packed with knowledge. There are many smart people, researchers and an abundance of data and knowledge here. Not only that, at the same time DNB uses that knowledge to ensure stability on the long term. It is not about today or tomorrow. That was very interesting, but also new to me. As a lawyer you are more focused on short term interests. Therefore, that is something I have learned here and I find that very fascinating. This is interconnected with the public sector and it is a big opportunity when you can do this.

10. What kind of characteristics do you need as a woman to make it to the top?

The same you also need as a man. What are they? An important one is integrity. Standing for what you do and being able to look yourself in the eyes and look other people in the eyes. That is what it starts with and it is very important. A certain drive and the energy to do things, but also a certain focus on results are other very important cha-racteristics. Thinking in solutions, not in problems, that is where it all comes down to.

11. What are your plans for the future? Where will you be in 10 years?

Most important is that we help our financial sector through this crisis. That is something I am very committed to. I don’t have real plans for after that period now. Of course it is something I think about, and that is a good thing. On the other hand, you can’t plan your professional life in so much detail. I don’t think that you should either. I find it important to always be open to new things crossing your path. This means taking things, even if unpaid, that accidently come on you path and where you can be a helping hand. This can be in your career, but also in more personal things.

12. What do you want to say to the students of the Erasmus University? Any tips?

One important tip I got was when I was a student busy choos-ing electives and a career path. I didn’t know what I wanted. It helped me a lot when someone said to me: ‘Of course it is important to think about that, but in the end those choices aren’t the most important ones. If you are good at what you do, they will figure that out eventually, whatever you do’. That really helped me at the time and I still think that. Therefore, that is something I would like to say to the students.


An interview withHerbert Hainer

AkzoNobel’s company line is ‘Tomorrow’s Answers Today’. And it’s not just a catchy slogan – we mean it. That’s because we’re in a competitive world and success will only come from thinking ahead and developing products which anticipate the needs of customers.

This focus on putting our customers’ future � rst has enabled us to develop an endless supply of breakthrough products. We aim to ensure that 30% of our products are categorized as ‘Eco-premium’, making them not only more sustainable, but also more pro� table. This has helped us to become the world’s largest coatings and specialty chemicals company.

If you’d like to spend your career making the leaps that make a difference, jump into our website.

www.akzonobel.nl/careers

To stay one step ahead of our competitors, we stay one step ahead of our customers

501.10.024 AKZO Corp Adv 225x300.indd 5 14-03-11 16:09

Why a German Recruitment event?The Rotterdam School of Management attracts a large group of international students because it is ranked 7th out of all European Business schools. The German students represent about 30 percent of all international students. In general the German stu-dents perform above average. A reason for this could be that the German students need to have a 1.8 on average or higher for their abitur, a 1 in mathematics and a 1 in English in order to study at the RSM.

Traditionally business events that are organized at the University are mainly focused on the Dutch students. This year we decided to Be the Change and organize an event exclusively for German students. Why has this not been done before? There are approximately a 100 German speaking MSc students at the RSM. These students are studying hard to get high grades. From these 100 German MSc’s, almost all students have high potential and are highly motivated. Therefore consultants, banks and many other compa-nies have shown high interest in the German RSM students.

Why should a German student participate?Roland Berger belongs to the best strategy consultants in Europe and is ranked 4th in Europe. Deutsche Bank is the largest bank in Europe since the 31st of March. Why wouldn’t you? STAR organizes the whole trip from Rotterdam to Frankfurt and back. How often do you get the chance to visit the main offi ce of the Deutsche Bank knowing that they are aiming to recruit you? How often will you get the chance to visit Frankfurt and see two most amazing companies for a maximum contribution of €30?

Germany vs. HollandSince 1974 there has been a healthy competition between the Germans and the Dutchmen. Traditionally this competition reaches its peak during football championships. Competition keeps us sharp, so that’s a good thing. Business wise the Dutch and the Germans are interdependent. The Rotterdam harbor functions as the mouth of Europe, products that are produced in Germany are shipped in Rotterdam and the raw materials for the German industry arrive in Rotterdam. Therefore it is important that we cooperate to create value for both countries. This event creates value for both countries, the German companies get to see top students for recruitment purposes and the RSM gets good publicity.

BraindrainThe Dutch government is investing heavily in higher education. This is the reason that European students can study at the RSM for €1.771 a year. With its renowned IBA program 50% of these students come from outside of the Netherlands and yearly more than 900 students apply from which only 400 get admitted.

The Dutch companies should adopt these talented students as employees. But how? Since these international RSM students will probably look over the Dutch borders for work the Dutch compa-nies face more competition. Therefore Dutch companies should focus more on these international students in order to keep them here. If not, companies like Deutsche Bank and Roland Berger will recruit them.

This event will give you a unique inside into two major companies; we highly recommend joining this amazing trip. The application deadline for this event is October 2nd 2012.

ABOUT DEUTSCHE BANK

Deutsche Bank is a leading global investment bank with a strong private clients franchise. Its businesses are mutually reinforcing. A leader in Germany and Europe, the bank is continuously gro-wing in North America, Asia and key emerging markets. With more than 100,000 employees in 74 countries (as of December 31, 2010), Deutsche Bank offers unparalleled fi nancial services throughout the world.

ABOUT ROLAND BERGER

Roland Berger Strategy Consultants is a global strategy consul-ting fi rm headquartered in Munich, with 51 offi ces in 36 countries. Roland Berger Strategy Consultants was founded in 1967 by Roland Berger. According to Vault.com, the fi rm has established itself among the top three consulting fi rms in Europe and among the top fi ve in the global strategy consulting market. In 2009, the company’s sales were c. USD 850 m with around 2,500 employ-ees worldwide. The company is an independent partnership wholly owned by its approx. 220 partners.

ABOUT FRANKFURT

Frankfurt am Main commonly known as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fi fth-largest city in Germany, with a 2011 population of 695,624. The urban area had an esti-mated population of 2,300,000 in 2010. Frankfurt is the fi nancial and transportation centre of Germany and the largest fi nancial centre in continental Europe. It also is an international centre com-merce, culture, transport, education and tourism. It is therefore considered an alpha world city as listed by the Loughborough University group’s 2010 inventory. It was ranked 10th among global cities by the Global Power City Index 2011.

ABOUT DEUTSCHE BANK

ABOUT ROLAND BERGER

ABOUT FRANKFURT

Auf Wiedersehen... im Frankfurt!German Recruitment Event


those Who have Read my pRevious diatRibes in this magazine knoW my geneRal disappointment With the state of modeRn dutch society. i Was theRefoRe RatheR suRpRised to find i Would have to defend, and even ‘pRomote’, dutch society in a shoW-off type of situation against ouR easteRn neighboRs.

There is, as I have discussed at length elsewhere, much to dislike about current Dutch society. But it`s not all bad, I would like to add. Through Calvinism, the Dutch have been ingrained with a healthy sense of ambition and perseverance, and in the cases when that doesn`t lead to arrogance and over-estimation (which did happen during the European soccer championships, and to some extent the Olympics), these are admirable qualities. In fact, it is these qualities, combined with an exploration-based heritage and curious nature, that have propelled a small population, on a small piece of land, toward a strong economic, political and cultural position within Europe and within the world - even if not to the extent that the Dutch boast.

As Dutchmen, we have much to be proud of. A rich cultural history, a relatively solid economic position (cf. Spain and

Italy) spearheaded by some of the world’s largest companies, and a rather egalitarian society. With a consistently high and stable ‘happiness index’, it seems we are doing something right. On all fronts, the Dutch are doing relatively well. This is quite an accomplishment, and one we should cherish and try to prolong.

But I was not asked to write this piece to boast about the greatness of the Dutch. Unfortunately, there is not much I can say when comparing the Dutch and the Germans on some comparable scale. In a large amount of areas, the Germans are beating us. They won (substantially) more medals at the Olympics. Their economy is in better shape. They have more power in Europe. This is all hard to dispute.

It’s not the fairest of comparisons though. With a vastly larger amount of people, but a comparable socio-economic context, it seems obvious that the Germans are able to accomplish more than the Dutch can. This is not to downplay Dutch achievements, it`s simply to state that a larger amount of people, cash-flows, available space etc. give rise to more possibilities of accomplishments. What’s much more interesting is a per-capita measure of success. Until we develop such a measure, a comparison between the two countries will remain an issue of beer-fueled patriotism and ignorance. The Germans are a fine people, and so are the Dutch. Instead of bickering about who is a ‘better country’, let us resolve to respect each other’s abilities and use them to each other’s advantage. After all, comparing oneself to others is the cornerstone of insecurity. Is that really the image we would like to project, proud Dutchmen? Let’s focus on our own development first, before trying to beat others. It`s a rat-race we cannot win. ■

text: philip lazaR


the fiRst things that come to mind When thinking of the netheRlands aRe most pRobably cheese, tulips, bikes and camping. fiRst and foRemost is hoWeveR the omnipResent oRange, folloWed by a myRiad of otheR images depending on the degRee of familiaRity With ouR little neighboR. also, haRdly anyone Will use the teRm the netheRlands but Will RefeR to holland, as it is not commonly knoWn that the netheRlands is divided into 12 pRovinces of Which only tWo aRe called holland.

For sport fanatics, especially the species football-crazy, the Netherlands arouse mixed emotions. On the one hand it is simply impossible to ignore the many talented players, but a game between the countries will ultimately lead to a strong display of patriotism on both sides; if I may downplay the verbal statements I have been able to witness over the last years.

Furthermore, and there is no getting around this one, is: drugs. Yes, sadly enough many Germans picture the Netherlands as one big magic mushroom. Although the generation of my parents may still think that you can buy coffee in a coffee shop, the current youth cannot be fooled. Luckily, the extensive coastline, kilometers of biking routines or the large selection of Centerparcs and the like are equally attracting and Dutch appeltaart will sweeten up almost any stay. When in the Netherlands, many Germans, especially the older generation, make the mistake to

expect the Dutch to speak German. Understandable, this is not always taken with great enthusiasm. However, the Dutch are still perceived as open, helpful and friendly.

Personally, my first image of the Netherlands came from Linda de Mol in the Mini Playback Show or TV commercials picturing a girl in wooden shoes, a blue and white striped dress a particular shaped hat called Antje Pikantje. During the five years that I have now been studying and living in the Netherlands many impressions have been added, some positive and some not so much. A daily displeasure for example is the Dutch bread. Moreover, the fact that the Dutch get their fast food out of the wall, a direct translation of uit de muur halen, still manages to fascinate me.

Unfortunately, it isn’t always safe to drive a car with a German license plate in the Netherlands and sadly enough I have been confronted with prejudices, many bad jokes and even some hostility over the years. When I, for example, state that I don’t think that Rotterdam is a particularly pretty city I get the immediate response: “Well that’s because you bombed it.” Really, did I?

Also I will never understand the Dutch study mentality. If you can get a 10 why settle for a 5.5? And why does an 8 seem to be the highest possible grade (disregarding multiple choice exams)? The reply: “8 is for the best students, 9 is for teachers and 10 is for god”, has not been able to leave me satisfied.

In contrast to this, a great thing about the Netherlands is the fact that everyone can speak English and that all movies are shown in their original language. Although it seems that the Dutch are surprised when someone has put in the effort to learn their language, it is extremely rewarding, as they will never fail to compliment you if you do.

Although I have the feeling I haven’t even mentioned half of the things that come to my mind, such as the funny fact that every Dutch household has a birthday calendar in the bathroom, I will sum it up and say: in Nederland is het gewoon heel leuk! ■

text: caRina solbach


Entrepreneurial Seminar

Opening Conference

Starting your own business. It’s one of the riskiest things you can start your career with. However, when done right you can be very successful.

During this day you will hear some of the biggest success sto-ries of interesting entrepreneurs. With guests such as Reinout Oerlemans this event is bound to be a success. During this inter-active session you will get the chance to ask all your questions you have for our entrepreneurs. With their unique stories and experiences they try to inspire you and will trigger you to follow in their footsteps.

In a city such as Rotterdam, with its Entrepreneurial background, we have the right setting for an event that you will remember for a long time. Have you always thought about starting your own business? Do you have an entrepreneur inside of you? Or per-haps you just find it very interesting to hear all these fascinating stories and want to meet the people behind it? Then sign up for the Entrepreneurial Seminar!

The Entrepreneurial Seminar will take place on Monday October 15th from 11:00-16:00 with possibility for a social drink afterwards.

Be the change you want to see in the world. This quote used by Mahatma Gandhi is the basis of the theme of this year’s STAR Management Week. The Opening Conference will let you see what we really mean by this.

During this festive opening of our week, we will have several interesting speakers for you. With the combination of well-

known names and less-known speakers with truly unique and inspiring stories

this session will have the variation to make it

a day to never forget.

This year we chose to invite more people who you may not know yet, but who really have a story that will amaze you. If it is building your own car or being innocently locked up abroad, these speakers have a real story to tell. They come from all over the world to share their experiences with you.

We will conclude this opening with a festive social drink with a complementary cocktail bar and an amazing view to start the week in style. With this, we will serve some delicious tapas so you can enjoy your drinks even more!

To summarize, if you want to hear interesting stories, be the change and socialize with friends and other students, come to the Opening Conference!

The Opening Conference will take place on Tuesday October 9th from 16:00-21:00. Drinks and food will be served.


Entrepreneurial Seminar

Be employed! Are you almost done with your studies and do you want to start the next phase with the best companies out there? Then we are here to give you a hand. The STAR Management Week gives you some of the greatest companies to connect with. These companies are looking for you through the different activities we present to you.

Company DinnerThe most exclusive recruitment event of the STAR Management Week. Participating in one of the Company Dinners gives you a chance to meet the recruiters from the two companies of your choice while enjoying a luxurious dinner. Based on the CVs of the participants, the companies will select twelve students to dine with. The first Company Dinner on the 11th of October will be in ‘’Het Zalmhuis’’. The second Company Dinner on the 16th will be in ‘’Hotel New York’’. Find out more and subscribe at one of our stands or at www.managamentweek.nl!

Inhouse DayThe Inhouse day is new in the portfolio of the STAR Management Week and proven the best recruitment activity of all. Always wondered what companies look like on the inside? Do you want to get to know every aspect of the company of your choice? During this on-sight experience the company will show you everything you want to see through a diverse programme. More than ever you will get to know the culture of the firm, which is really important for deciding what company is best for you! You will get to see the day-to-day activities through personal contact with employ-ees and, who knows, future colleagues.

Get to know all about the job opportunities, the culture and everything else you want to know about the com-pany of your interest and sign up for the Inhouse Days! For more information, visit one of our stands at T3 and C-hall.

The Company Dinners and Inhouse Days are based on cv-selection.

REGISTER AND UPLOAD YOUR CV BEFORE 28TH OF SEPTEMBER

Corporate CaseThrough the whole STAR Management Week we have many companies giving their Corporate Cases. During the Corporate Case you will learn everything about the company of your choice. You will find out what the corporate culture is like and you will be challenged to solve a real life case. Some compa-nies offer you a free social drink so you can talk to recruiters in an informal setting and ask your last questions.

Altogether it is the perfect opportunity for students and compa-nies to get in touch with each other.

Want to get more information or want to sign up? Visit one of our stands at T3 or C-hall, or subscribe at www.managementweek.nl.


Friday October 5th STAR/Others

Company Visit Spyker Cars €12,50/€15,00 Zeewolde, 11:00 - 15:15 English

Monday October 8th STAR/Others

Company Visit Microsoft €12,50/€15,00 Schiphol, 10:00 - 13:00 Dutch

Tuesday October 9th STAR/Others

Opening Conference €3,00/€5,00 Hal 4.1, Rotterdam, 15:00 - 19:30 English

Wednesday October 10th STAR/Others

Inhouse Days €7,50/€10,00 On location, 10:00 - 15:00 Dutch/English

Corporate Presentation Google €3,00/€5,00LB-067, 17:30 - 19:00 English

Cocktail Workshop €4,00/€6,50De Vrienden Live, Rotterdam, 20:00 - 22:00 English

Thursday October 11th STAR/Others

CV-Check Free Stand T3, 09:00 - 17:00 Dutch/English

Corporate Training €4,00/€6,50 T-Building, 09:30 - 11:30 Dutch

Inhouse Day €7,50/€10,00 On location, 10:00 - 15:00 Dutch/English

Corporate Cases €3,00/€5,00 T-Building, 13:00 - 15:30 Dutch/English

Social Drink Free In De Smitse, 15:30 - 17:30 Dutch/English

Company Dinner €12,50/€17,50 Het Zalmhuis, Rotterdam, 18:30 - 23:00 Dutch/English


Friday October 12th STAR/Others

Inhouse Days €7,50/€10,00 On location, 10:00 - 15:00 Dutch/English

Monday October 15th STAR/Others

Entrepreneurial Seminar €5,00/€7,50 Forum Room, M3-15, 11:00 - 16:00 English

Corporate Training €4,00/€6,50 T-Building, 14:00 - 16:30 English

Tuesday October 16th STAR/Others

Corporate Cases €3,00/€5,00 T-Building, 10:30 - 13:00 & 14:00 - 16:30 Dutch


Company Dinner €12,50/€17,50 Het Zalmhuis, Rotterdam, 18:30 - 23:00 Dutch/English

Wednesday October 17th STAR/Others

Women’s Day €12,50/€17,50 On location & T-Building, 09:00 - 18:45 Dutch/English

Women’s Conference (separate) €3,00/€5,00 Senaatszaal, A1-32, 16:00 - 18:00 English

Corporate Trainings €4,00/€6,50 T-Building, 10:00 - 12:00 & 13:30 - 15:30 Dutch

Thursday October 18th STAR/Others

Corporate Cases €3,00/€5,00 T-Building, 10:30 - 13:00 & 14:00 - 16:30 Dutch


STAR Party €7,50/€10,00 Cruise Terminal Rotterdam, Rotterdam, 23:00 - 05:00 International


Company Visits

Corporate Trainings

Day after day, we attend lectures with our mindset focused on theory. We all know about strategic SWOT analyses, the financial formulas and the basic marketing tools, but how do companies translate this knowledge into practice? Are you curious to find out how companies deal with problems in the short and long term? And do you want to know how a company uses know-ledge in our dynamic and quickly changing world? Do not wait around. Be the Change and involve yourself, meet the compa-nies and get acquainted with your possible future workspace!

We will show you the processes that operate within a given company and allow you to meet company insiders in a more informal atmosphere during Company Visits. You can find more information about companies we visit in the fol-

lowing pages, the STAR Management week Courant and at www.managementweek.nl. Tickets are on first-come, first-serve base, so be sure to buy your ticket in time!

The company visits will be held on Friday October 5th and Monday October 8th.

If you want to expand your knowledge next to your studies and socialize at the same time, we have the perfect event for you.

During the STAR Management Week we have a diverse set of Corporate Trainings which you can attend. These activities are aimed at teaching you something you will not learn during your studies. They will prepare you for your professional career or teach you something most people always wanted to learn, but almost never do.

Our companies are coming to the campus especially for you, so don’t hesitate to sign up for one of the Corporate Trainings! See you there!

The Corporate Trainings will be held on Thursday October 11th, Monday October 15th and Wednesday October 17th. For more information about the different trainings check www.managementweek.nl or visit our stand to get a pro-gramme booklet.


A lot is changing at the moment within companies. Because of governmental re stric-tions firms have to have a gender balance to stimulate diversity and women at the top. This day is brought to life to make women aware of everything that comes along with this.

Women matter! This is why we want to make you aware of your opportunities, but also what you have to keep in mind. Being ambitious and having a career isn’t that easy. Especially if you want to combine it with children, there are some challenges that come along. This is handy to keep in mind before pursuing your dreams.

We will start the day with several Inhouse Mornings. Here, you will get the chance to visit companies who have many opportunities for women in business. After that, you can choose

between two workshops that give you just the extra advantage when orientating on the job market. Finally, we will conclude with a conference where you can hear all the amazing stories of top-women in business. They will inspire you and show you how it can all be done. Of course there will be a social drink afterwards so you can discuss everything you have learned this day with friends and other students.

Don’t let this unique opportunity go by and sign up for the Women’s Day!

The Women’s Day will take place on Wednesday October 17th. The conference is open for everyone. More information can be found on page page 6.

Women’s Day

www.frieslandcampina.com

Jij bent onder nemend, enthousiast, vernieuwend en inspirerend. Je hebt veel in je mars en je bent altijd op zoek naar meer. Net als FrieslandCampina.

Wij willen de meest professionele, succesvolle en aantrekkelijke zuivelonderneming ter wereld worden.Met onze voeding, dranken en ingrediënten bereiken we miljoenen mensen in meer dan honderd landen. En we blijven met onze 140jarige ervaring, op zoek naar nieuwe mogelijkheden van melk. Daarom gaan we door met het ontwikkelen van nieuwe producten en het uitbouwen van onze meer dan 30 topmerken.

Wij bieden kansen aan starters én aan ervaren professionals in tal van vakgebieden. Het is aan jou om die kansen te benutten.

Ontdek je grenzeloze carrièremogelijkheden...

...in de wereld van FrieslandCampina


At NIBC, entrepreneurial bankers start at the deep endAs a trainee banker at NIBC, you also have a daily job. Your assignments and responsibilities start from day one. And you’ll

have the chance to specialise, in for example mergers and acquisitions. You and your fellow analysts will follow our in-

company training programme at the Amsterdam Institute of Finance, led by professors from international business schools.

A flying start at the bank that thinks and acts like entrepreneurs. For more information, visit www.careeratnibc.com.

0185.10.003 NIBC_Arbeidsmarkt_Adv.indd 3 22-11-11 15:05

The Glass Ceiling Unfortunate genetic drawback or a case of gender-based discrimination?

No names, no gender, just a big screen, a person and his or her audience for that day. Anonymous “job interviews” or in professional terms “blind auditions” are widely adopted when it comes to hiring new musicians for orchestras. The interviewers merely get to see a big screen, however, they get to hear much more than they did before. For 30 years now, well known orchestras such as the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Munich Philharmonic have used blind auditions. The result. A traditionally male dominated sector now employs approximately 50% males and 50% females. You can indeed ask yourself, what just happened?

This example perfectly shows how, in this case, the eye plays a major role in selecting when the ear was supposed and thought to be the leading instrument. For decennia, orchestras would only select

males to play their topnotch instruments, because they believed that males were the only ones capable of producing such phenomenal sounds. In fact, from the very moment the eye was disabled by means of a big screen separating the applicant from the interviewer, females were suddenly the ones to play their audiences to a state of pure ecstasy. (gender based discrimination)

In our business society we might observe a similar case. Europe’s leading firms, for instance, employ an average of 13.7% females on their company boards. The remaining 86.3% percents is male. The EU Justice Commissioner has tried to pull that figure even, however, unsuccessfully. Her “women on the board pledge”, asking companies to voluntarily increase the number of females in top positions ended up on the bottom of the sea. This is unfortunate since the underlying

motivation for the Commissioner was to improve the EU’s competitiveness. The question, however, is: what does having an equal number of females and males in top positions have to do with the EU’s competitiveness?

Luckily, claims like these are always backed up in news reports of the European Commission (EC) and we find that there has been some actual research done into these topics and by no one less than McKinsey and Ernst & Young. They confirm that both operating profits and earnings per share are significantly increased in equally gender-balanced companies. Those are quite interesting claims by two quite renown consultants in the world of business. Yet, these results and the requests from the EC seem to be completely neglected when we compare last year’s female on the board figure (11.8%) with this year’s (13.7%). On top of that, new university graduates have reached an astonishing ratio of 60-to-40. Indeed, in favour of females.

So, it is now up to us to say whether this apparently unequal rate of employment is merely a misfortunate genetic drawback that puts female’s performance inferior to that of male’s or is this again a case in which the eye proves to be the main judge while distracting from what truly matters with pure gender-based discrimination as a consequence. ■

text: chaRif van zetten

monday 10:55 am: applicant 13 just made its Way thRough the building and is aWaiting its job inteRvieW. just at 11am a buzzeR above the dooR, indicates that applicant 13 is alloWed to enteR the Room and to take a seat, the inteRvieW is about to begin…

At NIBC, entrepreneurial bankers start at the deep endAs a trainee banker at NIBC, you also have a daily job. Your assignments and responsibilities start from day one. And you’ll

have the chance to specialise, in for example mergers and acquisitions. You and your fellow analysts will follow our in-

company training programme at the Amsterdam Institute of Finance, led by professors from international business schools.

A flying start at the bank that thinks and acts like entrepreneurs. For more information, visit www.careeratnibc.com.

0185.10.003 NIBC_Arbeidsmarkt_Adv.indd 3 22-11-11 15:05


An interview withFabienne Chapot

1. Who is Fabienne? I am 31 years old and 5 years ago I started the brand Fab.

It all started when I was in Bali one time. I saw there all the things you can make. I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but only if I could combine it with creativity. At fi rst I designed one bag with different editions. Then I visited al lot of stores through the Netherlands with that bag and I got a lot of posi-tive responses. My fi rst big client was the Bijenkorf and this resulted in a signifi cant increase in the brand awareness of Fab. I went to many fairs, such as de Modefabriek, through which I reached a lot of customers. The special things about Fab. are the big range of colors and the diversity. Fab. is an innovative brand and has a good price/quality ratio. It was a true niche in the market.

2. How did you come up with the idea to set up Fab.?

I worked at an advertising agency and wanted to quit. I wanted to go my own way. I have always had a special inte-rest in leather and really wanted to create products with it. However, clothing was too complicated. You have to be able to draw patterns and it depends on the seasons. On the other hand, designing bags was much more achievable.

3. How did your childhood affect your career and Fab.?

My entire family consists of entrepreneurs. I was raised with the idea that with enough hard work and devotion, you will make it. Ever since I was a little girl, this was what I was taught and it was a key part of my upbringing.

4. What is the biggest success factor of Fab.? I fi nd this really hard to answer, because it is a combina-

tion of success factors. Above all I have chosen the right moment. With the many colors recurring in the bags, Fab. was truly innovative. Normally, bags were in plain colors such as brown and grey. Therefore, the diversity of the brand is a success factor, but also the fl exibility of the products and the good price /quality ratio that comes with it was all very innovative. Next to that the bags are also handmade. Fab. is really between different niches. On the one hand you have Zara and H&M bags. These are cheap, not very special and everybody has them. On the other hand you have brands such as Prada, which are very expensive. Fab. is in between these extremes. The bags are handmade, but for an affor-dable price.

Founder of FAB


5. What are you most proud of? I am most proud of what I am doing now. We are opening

our first store at the Negen Straatjes in Amsterdam. This is Fab.’s first real store and I am very proud of it! Of course we are selling our bags in different shops, but in your own store you can really translate the brand and the feeling that comes with it.

6. What is the biggest obstacle you had to overcome as a woman in business?

To be honest, nothing. I can only think of advantages I had as a woman. It always works to use your charms. You do not have to go that far to get something you want. A lot of men just like to work with women; they like to be sur-rounded with them. Through this you can achieve just that little extra you sometimes need. Of course, I choose my own path and I decide who I work with. I don’t have investors or anything. It does depend on the industry, though. In fashion it is easier for women than in banking. There, they immedi-ately put a label on you. In the fashion industry people are more inclined to respect the things you’ve done, acknow-ledge your work and assume you know what you are talking about as a woman.

7. What is the most important lesson you lear-ned in life?

I have learned so many things! For example, you really have to go after everything yourself. You have to take care of things yourself and keep on having trust in yourself. At first I thought I had to hire professionals when my company grew, because they would have a better understanding of business. But the thing that is most important is to keep it close to you and keep believing in yourself! It is really not necessary to outsource everything.

8. What kind of change did Fab. cause the fashion industry?

Like I said at the beginning the innovation in colors and vari-ations really is a change in the bag industry. An employee of mine once told me that a friend of hers had a wallet with all different kinds of colors and hearts on it; a Fab. wallet. She was really surprised and thought ‘what a silly wallet!’, because she absolutely didn’t understand why a wallet had to have so many colors. Now she likes it, because variation is fun!

9. What kind of characteristics do you need to have as a woman to reach the top?

You have to be able to work really hard and don’t give up too soon. You have to keep going and again, believe in yourself!

10. What are your future plans? Next to my own store in Amterdam I’d like to open many

more new stores. I also want to extend more abroad. And also extend my collection. We also have shoes in our col-lection and we want to add sunglasses to the line. It has to become a worldwide brand.

11. Do you have, next to your plans for Fab., plans for Fabienne as well?

Yes, of course, I also have plans for Fabienne! I want stay an entrepreneur my entire life. I enjoy my work so much; I am always working on something. Even when I’m on holiday. If this is with Fab. or something else, I want to be my own boss and be able to keep being creative. If this is possible in combination with a family, then I’m the happiest person on earth!

12. What do you want to say to the students of the Erasmus University?

If you have something in mind, just do it! It sounds as a cli-ché, but it’s so true! Of course you can set up a whole busi-ness plan, but in the end you have to learn from the things that you encounter. You mustn’t over think everything. Start small and make sure you don’t burden yourself too much. Do everything yourself, keep the costs low, see how it goes and little by little you grow into it.

I never thought Fab. would grow so much. I had a worst-case scenario in mind. I was 25 years old, had little rent to pay and no children. I got a start capital and calculated how long I would have to work if Fab. wouldn’t be successful. Many students first want to gain experience, but don’t do that. If you want to start a business do it as soon as possible. The older you get, the tougher it gets to start something for yourself. You have all these financial burdens and are used to a fixed pay.

I studied communication sciences at the University of Amsterdam. After that I started my own business. Building connections is an important part; this really helped me a lot. Knowing the right people, that’s key. I’m not a typical fashio-nista myself, but knowing people in marketing and PR has been very useful. Also other entrepreneurs helped me a lot. An example: an agency approached me one time, but I did-n’t know what to do at all. I contacted a friend of mine who is in the same industry and asked how it worked. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Wake me up for: a sunny weekend day and drinking coffee with a friend in the sun

Biggest example: Scoth & Soda as a brand

Favorite quote: it’s all about choices

I WILL: grow


From soap actor

to producer

Reinout Oerlemans: The man behind Eyeworks

While studying law at the University of Amsterdam in 1989 his life took a bizarre turn when he was picked off the street and cast to become the leading actor in the fi rst Dutch soap, Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden. Oerlemans quickly developed a natural hunger to explore all sides of the world of television. After six year of acting

in this longstanding soap, Reinout developed a career as one of Holland’s most successful TV hosts. He was the presenter of a wide variety of entertainment shows including the fi rst series of Idols, which achieved the highest rating on a commercial channel ever. In 2004, Reinout won the award for Best Male TV-star of the year.

In the last ten years Reinout Oerlemans was the producer of dozens of scripted and non-scripted television productions. He produced several seasons of big studio shows such as Stars Dance on Ice, How to Solve a Problem Like Maria, So You Wanna Be a Popstar. He also produces the successful drama series Cops Maastricht, Cops The Hague and the new family series Dokter Deen.

In the year 2001, Reinout Oerlemans founded his own production company. He founded Eyeworks together with Robert van den Bogaard (COO) and Ronald van Wechem (Managing Director). At an early stage the three of them had a vision to become a major player in the international TV industry and Reinout was awarded in the Netherlands with various awards for his entrepreneurship. His creation of the format Test the Nation, broadcast in more than 50 territories, contributed to the company’s acclaim.

As producer Reinout Oerlemans produces more than 25 fi lm and tv-titles. In 2009 Reinout made his debut as a fi lm director with the highest grossing Dutch movie of all times, Sticken (Komt een

sounds like a dReam come tRue, Right? afteR yeaRs of acting and hosting television shoWs, Reinout oeRlemans took the chance and founded his oWn pRoduction company, eyeWoRks. by doing this, Reinout chased his dReams and made it happen.


From soap actor

to producer

vrouw bij de dokter). This movie became a Diamond Film and is awarded with four Rembrandt Awards and a Golden Calf for Best Actor. After the success of Stricken, he produced The Happy Housewive (De Gelukkige Huisvrouw) in 2010, which became also a huge success. The movie became Platinum Film and is awarded with a Golden Calf & Rembrandt Award for Best Actress. The last movie he produced in 2010 was New Kids Turbo. Against all expectations, it broke the Dutch record for receiving the highest audience fi gures on the opening evening. Up till now, the movie has been visited more than 1 million times, which makes the movie Diamond.

Also 2011 was a success year for Reinout Oerlemans with movies as Dik Trom (Platinum Film, top 10 most visited family fi rms and Golden Calf for Best Production Design), New Kids Nitro (Platinum Film) and Nova Zembla. With Nova Zembla he delivered the fi rst Dutch cinema movie in 3D. The movie got a double Platinum fi lm for a record of visitors.

This year, Eyeworks produced Jackie (with Oscar winner Holly Hunter) and De Marathon.

Currently, Eyeworks is one of the fi ve largest independent production companies in the world. With operations in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Spain, Portugal,

Italy, the United States, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, Eyeworks operates a tight-knit web of local affi liates on four continents. In its 15 countries Eyeworks produces television programs for over 100 different channels and employs more than 1,500 employees. In fall 2012 Reinout Oerlemans will host and produce the new entertainment show Strictly Come Dancing. He will also be the host of the prestigious annual Television Award Festival De Gouden Televizier-Ring. Up till now, Reinout grow into one of the most infl uential entrepreneurs of the Netherlands. With his creativity and innovative view, Reinout Oerlemans made a change in the media world. ■


Variety iS the Spice of lifedRiving you into despaiR.. tRy googling ‘change’ foR a minute and you have got plenty to Read. tRy to put some stRuctuRe into the 4,5 billion hits and you’ll find out that; change is hot! vaRying fRom management guRus, coaches, tRaineRs, theRapists to manageRs, they all have theiR oWn opinion on change. change seems to be the basis of many a theoRy on life, WoRk and Wealth.

1 make or become different:[with object]:a proposal to change the law

2 [with object] take or use another instead of:she decided to change her name



No one is standing still. Whether you like it or not, your body changes. You get older, you keep growing and eventually you’ll die. Just like nature, our life is subject to continuous change. Sometimes gradually and continuously, sometimes choppy and with long strides. Occasionally you can choose, but more often you do not have any choice at all. With development comes change. Does a caterpillar know that he will be a butterfl y? And if so, would he be fl itting through life instead of crawling? I am afraid that that caterpillar has very little to want.

So what about humans? Some things are inevitable, but many changes come from choices that one has made. Which means that there are goals and consequences. Logical lines from A to B, a path to an aspired situation. While this seems simple, it is not always that easy to review what change might bring us.

Although many people are working to change the change itself. The question is, is change subject to change and is standing still indeed decline? Is there always room for improvement? All true, I think, but what if we all just run in a random fashion to get somewhere other than where we are now. That can’t be the intention; we encounter a ‘process’. The ‘organization’ changes, the people change, but hopefully not only for the sake of change. As said by many before; don’t lose yourself while running. To give

you some guidance while running, here are 7 ‘rules’ for change:

1. inspiring change-storiesBelieving in change might be the fi rst precondition for change. Collecting other positive change stories easily enlarges our optimism in this specifi c area. Books, magazines and fi lms might help. Even better is to share real stories with friends.

2. an extravagant wish listUse your spare days to establish an old-fashioned long wish list. In which you don’t get discouraged by your own budget, decency, or other ‘adult’ rules. If anything were possible, what would you do?

3. Stop talking vagueA lot of people want everything. But wanting something is just not enough. You will need to take action! Translate your main wish to any single repeating actions that you will do starting from today. Formulate your conduct as specifi cally as possible: measurable, active and personal.

4. Do uncomfortable thingsCall someone with whom you had a fi ght lately and atone. Start a chat with a random stranger. Bring that bad-buy back to the store.Don’t do it tomorrow, not any time later, but do it today. Start with small steps.

Those who practice in dealing with uncomfortable, uncertain situations will behave better under changing circumstances.

5. Mental self-defenseMore than eighty percent of people who work towards change, will fall back into old behavior. Not on a beautiful day when everything goes as planned, but on the stressful days when everything seems to go wrong. Train yourself so you will recognize and can ‘counter’ when stress occurs. For example, by controlling your breathing, your thoughts or your movements.

6. Daily brainwashingSetting incentives has a big impact on your thoughts and actions. Most accidental stimuli will not help you towards your goals. So therefore you should stimulate your brains yourselve on a daily basis with healthy pulses. Include one in the the form of a powerful mission statement: why did you do this all again?

7. change, but be yourselfChange and development make life fun. As long as you remain close to yourself. At least, the parts that you like about yourself, the ones you fi nd important and the ones you appreciate. The trick is: try to the best you, you can ever be. It may sound very sweet, like some column in a woman’s magazine, but it is the simple secret of positive change! ■

An interview withJoseph Oubelkas

Joseph Oubelkas was one of the Netherlands’ youngest IT engineers and he made the deci-sion to start his own company. It was a suc-cess from the very beginning. But then, in December 2004, it all went wrong. It started with a routine business trip to Morocco. There, without evidence or investigation, he was sentenced to ten years in prison for some-thing he didn’t do. However, during the harsh and unjust life in various prisons Joseph built some special friendships and he was uncon-ditionally supported by thousands of letters and cards from friends, acquaintances and strangers, but most importantly: the 400 let-ters from his mom. 1. How would you introduce yourself as a

person? In life you’re always trying to find out who you are and you

always wonder how people see you. That is why I think it’s hard to give a complete picture of myself. I do notice that I became a lot more philosophical and serious through all that I’ve been through, although I still have the same cha-racteristics as before I went to prison. I am still a person who is there for other people and enjoys life.

2. How exactly did you end up in prison? Of course, this story is told extensively in my book. In a

nutshell, it was a question of wrong place, wrong time. I visited one of the companies I was involved with and found crying people and armed people in uniform. I asked what was going on, because I was shocked by all the grief and crying. Before I knew it I was taken to the police station. Later I heard that they found two vans with 8000 kg of drugs in them. I was seen as a suspect, because I asked what was going on. My biggest frustration is that people knew what had happened and who did it, but nobody did anything about it. Everybody just watched. There has never been an investigation to the owner of the vans. The officers did know who the owner was. The license plates of the vans were all known and even the fingerprints of the offender were in the database of the police. In spite of this all nothing was done with this information. Just because I asked what was going on I was seen as a suspect and sentenced to ten years imprisonment.

3. Can you tell me what an ordinary day in pri-son looks like?

There was a tight regime with tight schedules in prison. At 8:30 in the morning they opened the cells, after which

everybody had to come outside and heads were counted. From 9:30 till 10:30 the cells remained open. It was pos-sible to get some fresh air at the courtyard at this time. From 11 till 3 everyone had to be in his cell again. After that, you could get some fresh air from 3 till 5 and after 5 everybody had to get back in to sit and wait the whole night until it was 8:30 again. Within the cells it was horrible. Everybody got stuffed in, nobody had his own spot. There were no beds or chairs; you had to sleep on the ground. Some people even had to sleep in the toilet, because the rest was full.

4. What was the worst part of being locked up? The worst part was knowing I was there unjustly. How easy

it was to put someone behind bars without any sort of evi-dence. This just wasn’t possible! But still it happened. Those thoughts went through my mind constantly.

5. Did you have nice moments as well? Yes, certainly. At a given moment I had to accept the situ-

ation, no matter how hard it was. I had to, because I knew I would be locked up for long time. After a while I star-ted creating my own world and my own freedom within prison. In my book I also write about nice and touching moments. I also encountered these. At a certain moment you get used to the situation and you learn to Acope with it. Especially during English class and sports I really had a fun time.

6. How did life in prison change you, besides the fact you became a lot more serious and philosophical?

Because I experienced every moment myself, I find it hard to say how much I have changed. The best way to ans-wer this, is to look at what people think of me. My mother and friends think I am still the same, they still see me as the same Joseph. A large difference with the past is that I don’t take things for granted anymore. I always took for granted that I had such a sweet mom. Currently, I realize that a sweet mom is not self-evident at all. I can also take more joy out of the little things in life. I can really enjoy a ride in the car, the sunset, or a downpour.

7. Are you still in contact with fellow prisoners? Yes, I talk to them regularly. With some I am still friends.

For example, Thomas, a German guy, is someone I talk to on a regular basis. We see each other every now and then and then we talk about anything and everything. About life as it is and what we have been through in pri-son. It is good to know that they know exactly what I’ve been through. They have all read the book and can pic-ture exactly what I wrote!


Writer ‘400 brieven van mijn moeder’

8. What are you involved with at the moment? At the moment I am busy writing a second book. Next to that

I am busy with giving lectures to companies and everybody who is interested in my story. After my time in prison I stop-ped working in IT. ‘Working as a writer and giving lectures is now my full time job.

9. What are your future plans? Well, at the moment I am busy with that second book. In the

meantime ‘400 brieven van mijn moeder’ is being printed for the 7th time. It is currently being translated to English and

we are looking into the possibilities of a movie. I am also involved with writing for a totally different market, the busi-ness world. I give a lot of lectures and I noticed that a lot of aspects of my book can also be found in business life. For example, I write about leadership and coping with change. I am really happy with the things I am doing at the moment; I am truly living my dream.

10. What do you want to say to the students? I mostly want to say: Be yourself, follow your feelings, set

your goals and if you want, you will succeed!


The STAR Party during the STAR Management Week has changed tremendously in its appearance. This year, the special lustrum edition of the STAR party will be held at the Cruise Terminal Rotterdam!

The Cruise Terminal is situated within the so called

Manhattan on the Maas right in the city centre. With six arches,

a surface area of 38.000 m2, a view on the Maas, the Erasmus Bridge and the possibility to arrange a fi rework show, the Cruise Terminal Rotterdam is one of Rotterdam’s unique party locations.

Next to this exclusive location, we have a line-up that will ensure a successful party with names as Laidback Luke, Shermanology, Basto and Mightyfools.

Laidback Luke

Born in the Philippines and raised in Holland, Luke van Scheppingen, aka Laidback Luke, without a doubt is the reference point of the dance scene for thousands of clubbers these days. Blasting your speakers with blockbuster beats, stirring things up with his hybrid house styles and his unlimited energy, brightly results in both stunning live sets and ongoing anticipated studio hits. The Dutch heavy weight house master is loved all over the globe: his Super You&Me events sell out wherever it goes to and they ranked him 20th place on by-all-means-wanted TOP 100 DJ lists.

The year 2012 is an eventful year for Laidback Luke. Slated to perform at the most popular dance/electro fes-tivals such as EDC, Electric Zoo, Ultra, Tomorrowland and Creamfi elds, he is ready to destroy international dance fl oors with new party anthems. His latest productions and collaborati-ons featured artists such as Wynter Gordon, Martin Solveig, Chuckie, Example, Norman Doray and Arno Cost. Performing and producing relentlessly and innovating musically as an artist like nobody else, tracks like “Show Me Love”, “Step By Step”, “Hey”, IDMA winning “Leave The World Behind”, “Till Tonight”, “Natural

Disaster”, “Turbulence” and “Speak Up” became all-time favorites on the dance fl oors.

Shermanology

It all started with Andy & Dorothy Sherman, a dynamic duo like no other. Later on Leon Sherman joined the group and became the team’s new secret weapon.

Born into family where singing was as natural as speaking, it didn’t take long for both of them to follow their dad’s and uncle’s musical footsteps.

Much hard work followed, improving performance and creating something unique and brilliant.

Since both Leon and Dorothy sing, and Andy also spins records and MC’s, the trio was able to create an act where all of these elements blen-ded perfectly.

Together they appeared on records alongside the likes of Afrojack, Avicii and Fedde Le Grand, besides per-forming on the stages of Ultra Music Festival, EDC Las Vegas, EDC New York en Creamfi elds UK amongst many others.

ded perfectly.

Together they appeared on records alongside the likes of Afrojack, Avicii and Fedde Le Grand, besides per-forming on the stages of Ultra Music Festival, EDC Las Vegas, EDC New York en Creamfi elds UK amongst many others.

Together they appeared on records

forming on the stages of Ultra Music

en Creamfi elds UK amongst many


Lustrum

edition: Cruise Terminal Rotterdam / 18

October 2012,23:00 - 05:00

Basto For the big public, it all started out with “Gregory’s Theme”. Originally writ-ten as a classical homage to Hugh Laurie’s iconic TV character, (Gregory) House, it eventually transformed into this epic dance record, turning heads everywhere and being championed from day one by the industry’s big-gest tastemaker, Mr Pete Tong him-self. This resulted in a massive chart success and daytime radio airplay.What followed were very well received remixes for Kylie Minogue, Moby and

Sander Van Doorn, a remarkable set at Tomorrowland (with a grand white piano) and a new smashing hit sin-gle: “Again and Again”. The video topped more than seven million views on Youtube in less than 8 weeks, and the single reached #4 on Beatport, holding a top 10 position for over a month. After the immense success of Again and Again, Basto recently released a few new tracks, including ‘Cloudbreaker’ (together with Yves V), ‘I Rave You’ and ‘Bonny’.

Mightyfools

Mightyfools, you must have heard of them. That crazy Dutch DJ-Duo that is praised by their positive high energy on stage, and their big room sound with heavy bass lines. A couple of years ago the two made a quick wel-come start in the global dance scene, quickly gaining airplay and massive support from DJ’s worldwide which resulted in a jetset lifestyle of nonstop international touring.

Reaching the Beatport charts with almost every track they released and fl ying all over the globe for performan-ces made the years pass by, but not a single day left unnoticed. This resulted in being play listed by top-notch Dj’s like Laidback Luke, Crookers, Diplo, Don Diablo, Hardwell, Fedde Le Grand, Paul Oakenfold, Fake Blood, Dr Lektroluv, Dada Life, Tiesto, Markus Schulz, Major Lazer, Bart B More, Sidney Samson and many more.

Make sure you don’t miss this amazing STAR Party!

Tickets are available at our stands at T-3 and C-hall, or at the door.Tickets are also available online at www.starmanagementweek.nl.€7,50 for STAR members, €10,00 for others and at the door.


Co-founder of Senz° Umbrellas


An interview withPhilip Hess

Philip Hess (32) started senz° umbrellas with his two friends Gerard Kool and Gerwin hoog-endoorn, while he was still in university. Due to his two master degrees in Industrial Design (TU Delft) and Business Administration (Erasmus University Rotterdam), Philip is responsible for the global marketing and sales of senz° umbrellas. He steps into the world every day with great joy to meet new people, enter into new collaborations and to grow senz° into a true global brand. With the senz° design he made a change in the global market and their storm umbrellas are now available in over 40 countries in the world. Phillip will energize you with an inspiring presentation about what it takes to start your own successful business fresh from school. 1. What do you think is the biggest success

factor of senz°? I believe that the fact that the three of us are so different,

skills-wise and personality-wise, really influenced the way we approached issues. We complete each other in that way. This combination makes us a strong team. We were lucky, though, this all fall together for us. Diversity has therefore really been our success factor. Companies often choose to put the same people together in a team. Of course, this is the easiest way. However, diversity is key when approa-ching problems as long as you can get over your own ego and take the time to truly get to know one another.

2. In what way have you ensured a significant change with senz°?

It all started from pure frustration with the normal umbrellas. Everybody hates them. We came with something different and filled a need many people recognize.

3. In what way has Senz ensured a change in your own life?

What I like most about entrepreneurship, is that you can-not hide behind anybody. You have to constantly work on yourself. This makes you much more conscious of who you are and how you look at the world. Being an entrepreneur has brought me a lot. I have seen so much of the world because of this and I really developed myself. My personal learning curve has almost been vertical since the begin-ning. You throw yourself into the deep and have to swim really fast to survive. Within a year after launching the senz° umbrellas we were active in a large part of Western Europe, Japan and North America, it all went so fast!

4. What are the future plans for senz°? I think growing into a worldwide brand that keeps sur-

prising its consumers is our main goal. We are also busy with launching other products, such as a sunshade. This is all happening in the background at the moment, though. There are many other things we can do, the foundation is there. However, we are focusing on umbrallas now to turn senz° into a worldwide consumer brand.

5. How do you see yourself in ten years? Very handsome! Ha ha, no I think it’s hard to look more than

3-5 years into the future. I will be 42 at that time, so I assume I have found a girl that I got so far to stick with me. Maybe we even have started a family! I will still be an entrepreneur, I hope it will be at senz°.. As long as my personal learning curve continuous and I can still let the company grow, and grow as a person it will be interesting for me. At the moment I don’t have any reason to leave senz° and I’m very proud of what we built. On the other hand, a lot can happen in ten years time.

6. What are you most proud of? I’m most proud of the culture within senz°. We built it from

scratch. It’s a culture where people feel comfortable, have fun, but also work hard. I work with young, enthusiastic people. You don’t often see that at other companies, so I am very proud of that.

7. Who is your biggest example and why? That’s again a tough question. There’s never a single person

I admire. I try to learn a lot from others and get inspired, but not from just one person or only successful entrepre-neurs, from everybody. I believe that if you don’t do that, it’s the beginning of the end. I do strongly admire one of our investors, though, he´s a good person and is in it for the long run, in everything he does. I have lots of respect for that.

8. What do you want to say to the students of the Erasmus University?

The main thing I want to say is that entrepreneurship is a realistic option for your career path. I know it is hard to imagine what entrepreneurship can bring you in the course of your life, but from my own experience I can say it has brought me so much, in business as well as in my private life. I’m glad I took this road and I would like to wish all of you to do the same!


VALUE CREATIONAT THE EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY

FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER

INSPIRING NEW TRENDS: ELECTRIC CARS? BIG DATA? BIOTECH? ENERGY INNOVATION?This year's keynote speakers during the RSM Leadership Summit: Value Creation at the Edgeof Technology will discuss trends they see emerging on the far horizon of technology.In an interactive discussion with RSM academics, they’ll talk about how company strategies– and sometimes the companies themselves – have been reshaped by the new ways theycan reach, influence and captivate consumers. You will hear about the new challenges,opportunities, and inspiration that are emerging along with new technologies first-hand.

RSM LEADERSHIPSUMMIT 2012

WWW.RSM.NL/SUMMIT

SHELL - GERALD SCHOTMANRoyal Dutch Shell is under constant

pressure to find new ways to fuel our

world – a world that is transitioning from

reliance upon fossil fuels. How is Shell

pioneering new and different and

sustainable ways to power our world? Technological

innovations, like geotechnologies, are now front and

centre at Shell, and are bringing new answers to the

questions raised by industry and consumers. Chief

Technology Officer and Executive Vice President

Innovation and R&D Gerald Schotman will talk about

what’s happening at the edge of new energy technology.

DSM - STEPHAN TANDA‘Living off the land’ at first sounds like an

idealistic approach to life. But at DSM, it

means future business growth while

helping solve some of the world's greatest

challenges at the same time. The bio-

based economy is to boost a supply of sustainable fuels

produced from organic waste materials and can help to

win the battle against world hunger. ‘Doing Something

Meaningful’ is the key to value creation – for business

and for people at DSM. Stephen Tanda, Member of

DSM’s Managing Board, will explain how DSM managed

to transform from a mining company into a

technologically sophisticated business focused on ‘bio-

innovation’.

IBM - MARC TEERLINKBig Data has been a hot topic at IBM for a

decade, and the company is the world’s

leader in the analysis and implementation

of big data. IBM’s approach to big data

analytics, ecosystems, and platforms is

helping other companies to discover previously ‘hidden’

treasure to transform their value proposition. The value

creation potential for big data is also being embraced by

the world of academia: for example, IBM is now engaged

in research with the Netherlands Institute for Radio

Astronomy (ASTRON), a project that will ultimately give

the most accurate picture yet of what really happened

during the Big Bang and the origins of our universe.

How will Big Data touch your life (and perhaps make

you money) in the near future? Marc Teerlink, Global

Strategist at IBM will trace IBM’s recent history of

innovative technologies into the coming decades.

BMW - THOMAS BECKERBMW has been at the forefront of the

move towards electric cars – and they are

proving that innovative new products can

change the way consumers think and

create entirely new markets. It’s not the

first time BMW has made a sharp turn towards

innovative consumer products: In 1928 the company

switched a big portion of its business from aircraft

engines to personal autos that have become legendary

for their elegance and efficiency. Today, vehicles like the

BMW ActiveE are the ‘next wave’ in autos – they will help

Germany meet its strict regulatory standards around

CO2 emissions at the same time they create a delightful

(and thrifty) experience for drivers. Thomas Becker,

Vice President Governmental Affairs at BMW, will explain

how BMW sees the future of mobility.

VALUE CREATIONAT THE EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY

FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER

INSPIRING NEW TRENDS: ELECTRIC CARS? BIG DATA? BIOTECH? ENERGY INNOVATION?This year's keynote speakers during the RSM Leadership Summit: Value Creation at the Edgeof Technology will discuss trends they see emerging on the far horizon of technology.In an interactive discussion with RSM academics, they’ll talk about how company strategies– and sometimes the companies themselves – have been reshaped by the new ways theycan reach, influence and captivate consumers. You will hear about the new challenges,opportunities, and inspiration that are emerging along with new technologies first-hand.

RSM LEADERSHIPSUMMIT 2012

WWW.RSM.NL/SUMMIT

SHELL - GERALD SCHOTMANRoyal Dutch Shell is under constant

pressure to find new ways to fuel our

world – a world that is transitioning from

reliance upon fossil fuels. How is Shell

pioneering new and different and

sustainable ways to power our world? Technological

innovations, like geotechnologies, are now front and

centre at Shell, and are bringing new answers to the

questions raised by industry and consumers. Chief

Technology Officer and Executive Vice President

Innovation and R&D Gerald Schotman will talk about

what’s happening at the edge of new energy technology.

DSM - STEPHAN TANDA‘Living off the land’ at first sounds like an

idealistic approach to life. But at DSM, it

means future business growth while

helping solve some of the world's greatest

challenges at the same time. The bio-

based economy is to boost a supply of sustainable fuels

produced from organic waste materials and can help to

win the battle against world hunger. ‘Doing Something

Meaningful’ is the key to value creation – for business

and for people at DSM. Stephen Tanda, Member of

DSM’s Managing Board, will explain how DSM managed

to transform from a mining company into a

technologically sophisticated business focused on ‘bio-

innovation’.

IBM - MARC TEERLINKBig Data has been a hot topic at IBM for a

decade, and the company is the world’s

leader in the analysis and implementation

of big data. IBM’s approach to big data

analytics, ecosystems, and platforms is

helping other companies to discover previously ‘hidden’

treasure to transform their value proposition. The value

creation potential for big data is also being embraced by

the world of academia: for example, IBM is now engaged

in research with the Netherlands Institute for Radio

Astronomy (ASTRON), a project that will ultimately give

the most accurate picture yet of what really happened

during the Big Bang and the origins of our universe.

How will Big Data touch your life (and perhaps make

you money) in the near future? Marc Teerlink, Global

Strategist at IBM will trace IBM’s recent history of

innovative technologies into the coming decades.

BMW - THOMAS BECKERBMW has been at the forefront of the

move towards electric cars – and they are

proving that innovative new products can

change the way consumers think and

create entirely new markets. It’s not the

first time BMW has made a sharp turn towards

innovative consumer products: In 1928 the company

switched a big portion of its business from aircraft

engines to personal autos that have become legendary

for their elegance and efficiency. Today, vehicles like the

BMW ActiveE are the ‘next wave’ in autos – they will help

Germany meet its strict regulatory standards around

CO2 emissions at the same time they create a delightful

(and thrifty) experience for drivers. Thomas Becker,

Vice President Governmental Affairs at BMW, will explain

how BMW sees the future of mobility.

I WILL is visible everywhere; in what students and professors do, on canvasses in the RSM buildings, and online on Facebook and LinkedIn. We invite you to share your personal ambition in the form of an I WILL statement; over 2,500 students, staff, faculty and alumni already have participated.

Have your own photo taken by a professional photographer at one of the I WILL photo shoots and show your personal I WILL statement to the world. Or join the conversation on our I WILL Facebook page or LinkedIn group.

RO

TTER

DA

M S

CH

OO

L O

F M

AN

AG

EMEN

T

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University has an impressive culture of ambition and initiative, a culture of which you are part. I WILL is the movement that expresses the spirit of people at RSM.

RSM is a diverse community of international students, faculty, alumni, business leaders and staff, each with one unifying commitment: to make business, and business education, an instrument of positive change. These ambitions, and the intrinsic motivation of the individuals behind them, form the fabric of RSM and I WILL. A community of individuals who are making a commitment - saying ‘I WILL’ - to the future we want to create.

I WILL BE PART OF IT

www.fb.com/iwillrsmiwill.rsm.nl/linkediniwill.rsm.nl WILL YOU?

Interface special 2012.indd 2 22-08-12 12:41

I WILL ALIGN MY THOUGHTS WITH ACTIONS

Nicholas Chow, CanadianStudent, BSc International Business Administration (IBA)Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University

iwill.rsm.nl


I WILL is visible everywhere; in what students and professors do, on canvasses in the RSM buildings, and online on Facebook and LinkedIn. We invite you to share your personal ambition in the form of an I WILL statement; over 2,500 students, staff, faculty and alumni already have participated.

Have your own photo taken by a professional photographer at one of the I WILL photo shoots and show your personal I WILL statement to the world. Or join the conversation on our I WILL Facebook page or LinkedIn group.

RO

TTER

DA

M S

CH

OO

L O

F M

AN

AG

EMEN

T

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University has an impressive culture of ambition and initiative, a culture of which you are part. I WILL is the movement that expresses the spirit of people at RSM.

RSM is a diverse community of international students, faculty, alumni, business leaders and staff, each with one unifying commitment: to make business, and business education, an instrument of positive change. These ambitions, and the intrinsic motivation of the individuals behind them, form the fabric of RSM and I WILL. A community of individuals who are making a commitment - saying ‘I WILL’ - to the future we want to create.

I WILL BE PART OF IT

www.fb.com/iwillrsmiwill.rsm.nl/linkediniwill.rsm.nl WILL YOU?


I WILL ALIGN MY THOUGHTS WITH ACTIONS

Nicholas Chow, CanadianStudent, BSc International Business Administration (IBA)Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University

iwill.rsm.nl


eUreKaWeeK

2012

STAR inTeRfAce now also available for iPad

www.werkenbĳ pwc.nl

© 2012 PricewaterhouseCoopers B.V. (KvK 34180289). Alle rechten voorbehouden.

Soms wil je alleen de sfeer proevenSoms wil je het onderste uit de kan

In Barcelona voel je het bruisen. Van de Sagrada Familia tot Parc Güell; er hangt iets moois in de lucht. De stad is continu in ontwikkeling en daarmee is het de aangewezen plek voor zowel een prettige als pittige business course. Heb jĳ de ambitie om jezelf verder te ontwikkelen én wil je PwC en je toekomstige collega’s leren kennen? Schrĳ f je dan in vóór 7 oktober 2012.

Kom verder met de Audit Course Barcelona

Wanneer, wie en hoe?Van 22 tot en met 25 november 2012

3e- en 4e- jaars studenten met ambities binnen Accountancy

Meld je vóór 7 oktober 2012 aan opwerkenbijpwc.nl/auditcoursebarcelona

Volg “werkenbijpwc” op Facebook en Twitter

Documents

Interface Magazine - September 2012