To live up to this ambition, we aim to ensure that every employee devotes at least 16 hours a year to education and/or training. Back in 2009, we also teamed up with Nyenrode Business School in Breukelen to offer a customised Management Development (MD) program for TKH managers with high potential. This year sees the fourth edition of this program. The Executive Board is the main driving force behind the program.

Elling de Lange, Executive Board member and CFO of TKH, comments: ‘The primary aim of the MD program is obviously to help the participants acquire and build knowledge. But it’s also a great opportunity to share knowledge with each other and forge a more intense bond with the TKH Group. In this way, we take full advantage of the great potential for synergy that exists within a globally operating company. These are great spin-off benefits from the MD program.’

The program and its characteristics

The international character of the TKH Group must be fully reflected in the MD program. The participating group is therefore specially selected to include a diversity of cultures and identities. Last year, for instance, the 25 participants came from 5 different countries. Another equally important factor is the close involvement of the top management of TKH. The program is compiled in close consultation between the business school and the Executive Board.
In every module the participants are presented with a business case. This results in an assignment that they carry out in groups. The outcomes of the business case are presented to the Executive Board. ‘In this way, we kill several birds with one stone: as well as exchanging knowledge about TKH, participants can also contribute their theoretical knowhow, which often produces surprising and very useful ideas and solutions. What’s more, these programmes are also instructive and illuminating for the Executive Board. So basically we are all learning from each other,’ says Elling.

As with the previous editions, the participants are unanimously satisfied with the MD program. They are particularly enthusiastic about the opportunities for networking, followed by the discussion of the business cases and the quality of the teachers. One issue that the Executive Board wants to address is the rather limited number of ladies that have taken part in the MD program so far. A special gender diversity program has been launched within TKH and it is also important for the MD program to have a better balance between men and women.