Insight

 

With Bert De Graeve, CEO, Bekaert
Manager of the Year 2010, Trends Magazine

 

What are some of the keys to successfully managing a company through the recent economic crisis?

First, Bekaert has a clear and adequate strategic framework with a sufficient long-term vision to capture the main risks linked to normal economical cycles and upheavals. This strategy is discussed in-depth, is consistently applied and is regularly checked between the Board and management for necessary fine tuning.

Moreover, the excellent relationship between the Board and management provides for a smooth implementation with the necessary checks and balances, but also with the necessary speed of decision. Any proposal for action by management cannot be a surprise for the Board as it fits within a common strategic vision. And, last but not least, we have an organization that holds resilience as a basic value and can mobilize fast – from top down - when necessary.

Will the way business is done - both in general and at Bekaert - change in the so called "New Economy"?

I believe we should not underestimate what is going on today. News in the West is predominantly focused on the crisis, with even more emphasis on the financial sector.

But I believe something more important is going on. While we are focusing on our own problems, the emerging markets are continuing to grow - going from very weak platforms to relatively stable, developed economies. They are developing their own home markets, becoming less and less dependent on our FDI and more and more supported by intellectual and professional elites that have been educated at our best universities.

We are (and will be) challenged in everything we do by this new world. So, in order to secure our long-term existence, we believe it is a better strategy to be fully part of that new world. And again, Bekaert’s basic values of integrity, trust and resilience are sustaining our successful way of working. We just have to ensure that we are all of the same understanding.

How has the development of new technology changed the role of the manager?

New technologies are part of every person’s everyday life. Their biggest impact is on the speed of change and the requirement for any manager to match this speed, not only with his organization, but also personally. This implies that thinking ahead is more important than ever as it allows for a better and faster decision process.

What are some of the challenges of managing a global company? How do you meet these challenges?

Let us first specify that 'global' for Bekaert not only means serving customers in 120 countries, but also buying, manufacturing and shipping in and from 40 different countries on all continents (except Africa). So we are not just 'selling globally'.

The major challenge is to manage the activities within all their diversity while respecting Bekaert’s values and way of working. And that goes as well for our relationships with our customers, suppliers, employees, authorities and partners.

What makes Belgium a good place to run a business? What are some of the challenges of doing business in Belgium?

I believe one should start by carefully looking at what kind of business he wants to develop in Europe or Belgium and then analyze what assets Belgium has to meet this kind of business. For some activities, Belgium offers more disadvantages than advantages. Depending on the segment or market you want to address, these disadvantages may or may not be relevant.

I still tend to believe that one of the major advantages is Belgium’s capability to manage diversity and complexity (which is an asset in doing international business and handling innovation). I think the coordination centers previously and now particularly the notional interest, in as much as they are sustained, are really attractive.

How would you describe your management style?

You actually should ask people that work or have worked with me!

I like to define a future, growth-oriented project and gather a team around me that will realize it. Always getting better, but only better together (that’s our company's logo baseline).

With my educational background I will never be the expert leader or the soloist in the orchestra, but I want to be the one that can challenge and guide the explicit and tacit knowledge of a group of talented people into a successful project. So I think I listen a lot, summarize, and then sell a common objective to shareholders and all stakeholders for which they will go the extra mile. As the objective is never short term, I take my time to choose the battles I can win or the road that will lead to victory, which is not necessarily the shortest one.

What will Bekaert look like in 50 years?

I can only hope that Bekaert will still be the better together industrial partner, employer and supplier. That would mean the company would be getting better every day in the future, just as it did for the 130 past years.