personal development and the commitment to their work. We
believe that satisfaction is absolutely crucial for our success."
"Adse de Kock must have sold me really
well as a manager who already acted as if
she were the owner."
In just over three months, Ormit was sold to its management,
backed by Berk Partners and Van Lanschot Participaties. "With
them, we have found new shareholders with a hands-off ap-
proach but who are at the same time really supportive and
strongly believe in our concept. Admittedly, at the time of the
transaction, we all expected the economy to pick up much soon-
er than it actually has. Now it is almost 2012 and we are still in a
recession. We really can't wait for it to end, because then things
are really going to take off here at Ormit," laughs Van Ee.
Legendary Christmas parties
Still, three months to complete a sale during the turbulent fi-
nancial times of 2010 remains remarkably quick. "Yes, HCF
was very good in finding interested investors that were really
convinced of our concept," says Van Ee. "And as my adviser,
Adse de Kock must have sold me really well as a manager who
already acted as if she were the owner. So new owners could
comfortably lean back and not change anything", she adds half-
jokingly. In fact, a little later she says that the nicest thing she
has heard about Ormit's new independence is that, as far as
employees and customers can tell, nothing indeed has changed.
"Given these difficult economic circumstances our first year of
independence has been really good. We have not had to lay off
any of our people and we turned in a decent profit. We still have
our legendary Christmas parties and we still do a lot of other
fun things around here. Mind you, we even won further awards!"
A true gift to yourself
With the upcoming war for talent and an increasing number of
companies realizing that development of leadership and talent
among their managers will determine their competitive advan-
tage, the future may well bring more of them. The core of Ormit's
activities is leadership development, both for experienced man-
agers and for talented young graduates. The starters work with
Ormit in a two-year programme in which they get the opportunity
to work as trainees on various projects for multiple participants,
ranging from multinationals like Philips and Shell to non-profit
organisations such as the Dutch Cancer Society KWF and War
Child. In addition, trainees go through an intensive programme
of training and coaching that helps prepare them for their future
management roles.
"To be able, at such a young age, to spend
time learning about yourself, about leader-
ship and about the art of living, I think that's
a true gift to yourself."
After the two years they start in a management job at one of
the Ormit participants. "What better way to start your career!,"
exclaims Van Ee. "To be able, at such a young age, to spend
time learning about yourself, about leadership and about the art
of living, I think that's a true gift to yourself." With such a view on
leadership, Van Ee says that trying to make Ormit the best, most
successful and most fun company to work in, is "just a matter of
practising what you preach." To her, all the awards only confirm
that she is on the right track.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
46
47