With non-performing loans at some Thai banks running at horrifying rates, it's perhaps understandable that tough collection methods are needed, but isn't hiring martial arts experts a step too far?
Quality Black Belts (15-20 Positions), ran the situations vacant advert put in The Nation newspaper in Bangkok recently by GE Capital (Thailand).
The consumer financial services company has built a thriving operation from the rubble of Thailand's battered finance companies, including a credit-card business, auto-hire purchase and consumer loans, recently bidding Bt23.6 billion ($638 million) with Goldman Sachs for a selection of defunct finance company assets from the Financial Sector Restructuring Authority.
GE is now looking for black belts with "aggressive and strong leadership skills with good analytical skills; strong interpersonal skills, high integrity and high motivation."
A GE personnel official moved quickly to clarify our bemusement, however. It seems the world of total quality management (TQM) has its own system of black belt holders, who are skilled in quality-control procedures and have little to do with splitting bricks, or indeed handling defaulting credit card holders, with their bare hands. Gill Baker