Question 1

In recent years, most multinational banking institutions have all broadened their business scope to focus on the national wealth-management market in Hong Kong. For example, ABN Amro has used a strategy to double the number of its private-bank relationship managers over the next five years. To effectively implement the strategy, it has teamed up with a business school to provide training and certification for its relationship managers. It also offers extensive on-the-job training, which will help develop relationship managers with an exploring, open-minded, and entrepreneurial spirit. Apart from these, it also aims to hire and develop the right managers with a strong people attitude. (Source: South China Morning post on January 7, 2012)

Based on the given case, you are required to:

1. discuss the training strategy used by ABN Amro; and (15 marks)
2. suggest the approach of adopting the training strategy as given in (a). (5 marks)