Integration continues as expected
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/04/01/cnabn101.xml
Fortis, the Belgian-Dutch bank assurance group - part of the consortium that successfully bid for ABN Amro last year - expects integration of the parts of its Dutch rival that it acquired to take until the end of 2010.
Chief executive Jean-Paul Votron says splitting up ABN Amro is likely to take about two years. It confirmed the deal’s financial assumptions and growth targets, with synergies of €1.3bn (£1.04bn).
It will take time to integrate the various front/middle and back office business lines, as well as the IT functions; not just in terms of standards, in ‘the way we do things’ but in terms of policy, best practice as well as the technical solutions. Keep in mind all those user accounts, user data, application and infrastructure systems and data that might need to be migrated to ’supported’ platforms and systems. Regardless, business and revenue continues, an interesting read, do check it out.


