Curriculum Vitae William J M Schouten
Personal DetailsNationality: Dutch Home Address: Bugle Gate Cottage
Lincomb Lane
Stourport on Severn
Date of Birth: 29th April 1952 Worcestershire DY13 9RF
Marital Status: Married - with two sons (27 & 21)
Home Telephone No: +44 (0)1299 251963
Mobile Telephone No.: +44 (0)7528 390349
E-mail:
AmbitionStart a “portfolio career” and build on my extensive experience as an effective leader in a variety of roles in different financial services organisations. My ambition is threefold: (1) to share my business experience with one or more other organisations as a non-executive director; (2) to provide executive coach-mentoring services to people in senior management / leadership positions; and (3) to provide interim management services to organisations in the financial services industry.
Key Competenceso Significant experience in the role of executive board director in two very different UK composite insurance companies – one a mutual operating in the UK only; the other one a FTSE100 PLC with UK and international operations.
o Significant experience of operating in a FSA regulated environment as an Approved Person in several Control Functions.
o Proven ability to lead and manage company-wide change programmes.
o Strong performance orientation with focus on continuous improvement and delivering benefits to the business and the ultimate customer.
o Considerable experience of developing and implementing strategic, operational and project plans to budget and timescale.
o Experience of successfully introducing leading-edge technology applications in services environments.
o Proven ability to develop and maintain effective business relationships with intermediaries, corporate partners and external service providers.
o Reputation as an effective “people manager” with the ability to engage people up and down the organisation and motivate teams and individuals to perform to the best of their ability.
o Experience of successfully identifying and coaching talented people.
Main Achievements (last 10 – 15 years)o Led and completed a major change programme (£65m over 5 years) involving the design, development and implementation of a new systems infrastructure, new processes and new products across NFU Mutual’s general insurance business from 2006 to its completion at the end of 2009.
o Led and completed a major project (£9m over 2 years) to replace the systems infrastructure at Avon Insurance Plc (a full subsidiary of NFU Mutual) during 2008 and 2009.
o Initiated and put in place a new Leadership Development Framework for senior and middle managers in NFU Mutual in partnership with Warwick Business School - 2008.
o Initiated and put in place the first major IT outsourcing arrangement for the NFU Mutual Group, a 10-year contract worth £90m – 2005/06.
o Led the implementation of key elements of a new “people strategy” introduced in 2003, including a competency framework, talent management processes, a new grading system based on job families and a new reward system - 2005/06.
o Introduced programme/portfolio management “best practice”, instilling project management disciplines and resource/capacity planning, leading to better prioritisation and more effective use of time and resources throughout the Group – 2005/06.
o Created several corporate “shared services” functions (IT, Learning & Development, Procurement) from separate divisional functions post a reorganisation of the General insurance and Life insurance divisions into a single entity – 2005.
o Initiated the design of and implemented an operational risk management framework for the Group’s Life Division which was subsequently adopted as the model for the Group as a whole – 2004/05.
o Led and completed a four year IT infrastructure programme (£14m over 4 years) in NFU Mutual’s Life division, introducing new systems and processes, resulting in significant effectiveness and efficiency improvements in both the back office and field operations – 2000/04
o Led and completed a two-and-a-half year transformation programme for Royal UK involving a major rationalisation and reorganisation of both HO and branch operations which affected nearly 6,000 management and staff – 1994/96.
o Introduced quality management system in Royal UK’s Claims operations nationwide and obtained ISO9002 accreditation in 1996, a first among European insurers – 1994/95.
o Led and completed the implementation of “image & workflow” technology in Royal UK’s Claims operation which gave the business a major competitive advantage and an industry award for successful technology innovation – 1992/93.
o Completed a major strategic review of Royal’s global business portfolio with recommendations to re-position itself in a number of markets, most of which were subsequently implemented – 1991.
Employment HistoryMar 2005 – Dec 2009 NFU Mutual Insurance Society Limited [Stratford upon Avon]
Corporate Services Director – One of four executive directors and responsible for shared services functions including Business Change Programmes, HR, Learning & Development, IT, Procurement, Legal and Company Secretarial. Also responsible for Avon Insurance Plc, a wholly owned subsidiary of the NFU Mutual Group.
Jun 1998 – Feb 2005 NFU Mutual Insurance Society Limited [Stratford upon Avon]
Director & General Manager Life – One of three executive directors and responsible for the Group’s life assurance, pensions and investment business.
Jan 1997 – May 1998 IBM United Kingdom Limited [London based]
Executive Consultant, Customer and Channel Management, EMEA Global Services – Involved in advising and supporting clients (financial services) across Europe in specific assignments on issues around Change Management, Business Strategy and Process Re-engineering in the UK, France and Turkey.
Jan 1993 – Dec 1996 Royal Insurance Plc [Liverpool]
Director and General Manager – One of six executive directors responsible for UK General Insurance operations with specific line responsibility for Customer Services (HO & branches), including Claims and Underwriting Services. Also Programme Director from 1994 – 1996 responsible for leading company-wide transformation programme.
Jan 1992 – Dec 1992 Royal Insurance Plc [Liverpool]
National Claims Manager – Assistant General Manager with line responsibility for General Insurance claims operations in the UK, controlling a claims spend of £1billion+, expenses budget of £50million and 1,250 people in 10 locations.
May 1989 – Dec 1991 Royal Insurance Plc [London]
Manager, Group Strategic Development – Reporting to one of the executive directors and responsible for coordinating development of strategic plans across Group operating companies; strategic research and development; mergers, acquisitions and disposals.
Jul 1988 – Apr 1989 Royal Insurance Plc [London]
Manager, Strategic Development; Royal Life Limited – reporting to the MD of this subsidiary company and responsible for developing the Group’s worldwide strategy for growing the life business of the Group; coordinating the acquisitions and start-ups of new life companies in Europe; evaluating the viability of existing life companies in the US, Canada and Australia.
Mar 1987 – May 1988 Spicer & Oppenheim Management Consultants Limited [London based]
Associate Consultant – member of a team of eight consultants working on assignments with three different financial services clients in Portugal, Singapore and Norway.
Jan 1985 – Feb 1987 Standard Chartered Bank Plc [London]
Manager, Corporate Planning - leading a team of 18 people and responsible for coordination of strategic planning activities, including market research, SWOT analysis, competitor analysis and merger & acquisition work.
Jan 1983 – Jan 1985 Standard Chartered Bank Plc [Hong Kong]
Branch Manager, Tsimshatsui - Manager of one of the larger bank branches, managing a team of eight officers and 120 staff, responsible for services provided to both retail and commercial clients.
Jun 1980 – Dec 1982 Standard Chartered Bank Plc [Brunei]
Branch Officer, Bandar Seri Begawan – Officer-in-charge of a variety of departments – on a 6 months rotation schedule to develop knowledge and skills.
Dec 1978 – May 1980 Standard Chartered Bank Plc [London]
PA to General Manager HR – Working on a variety of projects whilst being assessed for entry into the Bank’s graduate development programme / expatriate programme. Attended selected modules of the Bank’s internal training programme for graduate entrants.
Apr 1977 – Oct 1978 “Gap Year” - Equestrian Centre, Rapallo, Italy
Working for several horse owners – schooling / grooming
Sep 1976 – Mar 1977 Management Consultancy Firm, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Working as a Research Associate / Completing dissertation
EducationSep 1974 – Jul 1976 Interfaculteit Bedrijfskunde; Graduate School of Management (Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Graduated with a Master degree in Business Administration
Sep 1971 – Jul 1974 Nijenrode; Netherlands School of Business
Graduated with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration
Sep 1964 – Jul 1971 Dutch Grammar School
Obtained HBS-B qualification* - full passes in: Math; Physics; Chemistry; Biology; Economics; Geography; History; Dutch; English; French; German; Religious Studies.
(*) equivalent to A-level in UK terms
Other QualificationsMar 2008 – Feb 2009 Advanced Diploma in Professional Coach – Mentoring
The OCM – Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring
[Individual Member of EMCC – European Mentoring & Coaching Council]
Other Interestso Horses
o Walking
o Gardening & DIY
o Travelling
o Skiing
o Reading
References[Details to be provided as and when required]
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CV-WJMS 2010