When did you join the bank?
In 1964. I joined the Netherlands Trading Society (NTS), six months before it merged with De Twentsche Bank to form ABN.
Were you from a banking family?
My father was a lawyer. But I'd always wanted to become a banker. My father hoped I'd become a barrister too, so I selected law studies. But all my optional subjects at university were in the direction of economics and finance. After university and before my military service, I did a four-month stagein a bank in Paris. I learned French but also sniffed banking for the first time. After that I was never was in doubt about becoming a banker - and I never regretted it.
You were 27 when you joined the bank.
I joined on May 11 1964, the day before my 27th birthday. I selected the Netherlands Trading Society because it was by far the most international of the Dutch banks. My brother was working for another bank, so I didn't want to join the same one. But, amusingly, his bank then merged with nts so we ended up in the same bank after all.