Opportunities
Uil
sales forces that comprise specialists dedicated to each sales
channel. Currently we are still in the midst of that process and
we expect to complete Star Design by the end of 2003."
Van der Minne realises that operating closer to the market auto
matically means that the organisation will grow in size. In just
under two years personnel numbers have climbed from 270 to
almost 400 and the CEO expects that this number will increase.
"It's true that decentralisation does not give you a 'lean and mean'
organisation, but its major advantage is that you can place your
people closer to the market, with the result that you can take
much faster decisions on opportunities that have commercial
potential."
The fact that the business units are being given more responsi
bilities (and therefore greater accountability) does not mean that
the people at regional level have a completely free hand. Brand
management is still handled by marketing executives in White Plains.
It is up to the local management to devise concepts that fit in
with the brand strategy.
Ken Kunze was Marketing Director Heineken in White Plains until
recently and he is now General Manager of the western regional
office in Los Angeles. "We have put the decision making in the
organisation. The change from regional sales office to business
unit is not a cosmetic thing. It implies a totally different market
approach. We can now run the business on a local scale and not
from 2,500 miles away. With this new approach there is a lot to
win, because we have a lot of underdeveloped growth in the
western region."
Since personnel numbers have (almost) doubled within two years,
a substantial investment is needed to make sure that the Heineken
culture is maintained. "That's tricky," admits Van der Minne.
Every effort is being made in the area of training, but the CEO is
also abiding by his slogan of 'walk the talk', or having a lot of chats
with (new) employees to make sure that they fully understand
Heineken's passion for quality, respect and enjoyment. "Those are
PAGE 17
