Our in-depth sector expertise as the key to success
At ABN AMRO, sector expertise plays an important role. But what does this mean exactly? How can we use this expertise to better serve our clients, and to what trends should entrepreneurs pay extra attention? Margot Potman, head of Sector Expertise at ABN AMRO, explains how her team contributes to knowledge sharing with clients and colleagues.
What’s so important about sector expertise?
“We see that clients like to be aware of what is going on in their sector. This is especially important when making high-impact business decisions.. What are the trends, what direction is the sector moving in, and in light of that information, what choices make sense for my company? Our sector expertise is unique because of the combination of independent economic research and market insights. Our experts conduct theoretical research and are also in direct contact with clients and industry associations. By translating policies and regulations into practical challenges for entrepreneurs, we see a dynamic interaction between theory and practice. Thanks to our comprehensive ‘knowledge base’, we can give our clients personal and relevant advice.
With our sector expertise and extensive network we aim to help clients
We share our knowledge with our clients, and we’ve built up an extensive network, with contacts in many different sectors. Our client advisers specialise in specific sectors, which means they have extensive knowledge of the markets in which our clients operate. That results in much better and more relevant advice. The challenges faced by a construction company are very different from those faced by a fashion retailer, and our advisers are trained to understand these nuances.
We organise round-table sessions on trends, developments and new regulations. This not only gives the participants access to specific expertise, they also have the opportunity of networking with fellow entrepreneurs who are facing the same challenges. Our advisers are continuously trained to spar strategically with entrepreneurs and support them in achieving sustainability-related objectives.
This includes preparing for the new sustainability reporting requirements. For the financial year 2024, large companies are obliged to report on their impact on people and society. We are proud of the fact that we have prepared our clients for this in good time, to help them avoid unpleasant surprises.
What trends should entrepreneurs keep track of?
There are a few cross-sector trends that every entrepreneur should monitor. The tight labour market is already a major problem in the Netherlands and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future due to an aging population. What’s more, the rise of Generative AI is a trend that could change business models and client demand patterns. And climate change continues to be an important issue. Entrepreneurs need to prepare for new regulations and investigate how they can reduce carbon emissions. Not taking action is no longer an option. Stay on top of trends and developments that have an impact on your business. Whatever your concern - staffing challenges, technological innovations or sustainability - we’re here to support you. We are committed to giving entrepreneurs personal support, with the aim of not only ensuring financial stability but also creating a better future for the generations to come.