HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeStrategyback to Research & KnowledgeRabobank: Building digital agility at scaleback to Strategy

Case Study

Rabobank: Building digital agility at scale

By Michael R. Wade and Lisa Simone Duke

19 pages

September 2019

Order this case study

Reference: IMD-7-2070

The case illustrates how a financial institution with a conservative culture embraced digital transformation in a highly competitive environment. It focuses on the challenges inherent in moving from a start-up phase to a scale-up phase. The key protagonist, Nieke Martens, was charged with leading the Digital Hub, a pilot project located inside Rabobank’s HQ in Utrecht. The Hub began by initiating three squads to examine customer journeys using an agile methodology. The three journeys were very successful, creating a positive impact for customers. Building on this success, they decided to scale-up to 10, then 20, then 30 teams within a five month timeframe. The case explores the different tensions that this expansion created across the bank. The case closes with Martens and her executive sponsor having to present their recommendations to the Managing Board for the best way to meet Rabobank’s digital transformation goals at scale.

Learning Objective

Learn how a conservative incumbent bank took steps to embrace digital transformation.
Explore the different challenges related to the shift from start-up to scale-up phases.
Identify the key challenges and tensions facing the team in the Digital Hub and the employees in the squads, as well as managing the relationship with the rest of the bank.
Consider how to both structure an organization’s digital transformation and the issues they might face through its implementation.

Keywords

Strategy, Digital Transformation, Finance, Strategy Implementation, Agility

Settings

Europe, Netherlands
Rabobank, Finance and Insurance
2017/2018

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English

IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Keep reading

Article

A strategic thinking test for leaders - Brain Circuits

Take the strategic thinking test for leaders to assess your readiness and explore practical steps to strengthen this vital leadership capability.

Leadership Strategy

By Michael D. Watkins

in I by IMD

Article

Energy transition: how to surf the wave of change

Future-ready organizations that focus on the energy transition and accelerate along with it will reap the benefits.

Change Management Strategy Sustainability

By Julia Binder and Knut Haanaes

in I by IMD

Case Study

Sandoz China: Do we stay or do we go?

Strategy China Leadership

By Mark J. Greeven and Jim Pulcrano

Case Study

Sandoz (A): Breaking free to stand alone

Strategy Leadership Global Business

By Jim Pulcrano, Charan Singh, Zita Falk, Franciska Darmer and Barbara Schmidt-Ley

Video

Lean and clean are perfect partners, says CEO of engineering giant

ABB CEO Morten Wierod on leaner cleaner strategy, electrification, automation, robotics, AI, digital transformation, sustainability, leadership.

Leadership Strategy Sustainability

By Jean-François Manzoni

in I by IMD

Article

LLMs will hallucinate forever – here is what that means for your AI strategy

OpenAI’s new paper shows AI hallucination is inevitable. Discover how Gödel’s paradox reshapes AI strategy and leadership for 2026 and beyond.

Five ways to unlock breakthrough ideas

New ideas behind innovative business models can feel sudden, but are rarely random. Innovation happens when you reframe challenges and opportunities.

Generation of Givers - Family Business

Discover how family business leaders can nurture a generation of givers, ensuring wealth transfer builds lasting impact.

Family Business Leadership Strategy

By Camille Korschun, Peter Vogel and Martin Euwema

in I by IMD

Article

How to be remembered for the right reasons #5: Create shared connection

Earn the right to be heard by blending credibility with relatability, meeting audiences where they are, and building rapport through shared stories.

Leadership Strategy

By Robert Vilkelis

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

4 September 2025

Article

The new limits of growth - Geopolitics

Circular and regenerative strategies are redefining business growth amid climate change, resource scarcity, and geopolitical tension within planetary limits.

Geopolitics Strategy Sustainability

By Julia Binder and Manuel Braun

in I by IMD

Energy transition: how to surf the wave of change

By Julia Binder and Knut Haanaes
in I by IMD

Summary

Future-ready organizations that focus on the energy transition and accelerate along with it will reap the benefits.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Change Management

Strategy

Sustainability

Browse all topics

Sandoz China: Do we stay or do we go?

By Mark J. Greeven and Jim Pulcrano
Case reference: IMD-2680 ©2025

Summary

The Sandoz leadership team faced an important decision as it broke away from Novartis and became a public company. Should Sandoz retain the global geographical coverage it had had in its many years as part of Novartis? Or should it focus on fewer geographies and a simplification of the business models it was using? Since Sandoz was in a lower margin business than an innovator pharma company like Novartis, eventually, the senior leadership team decided to exit China. There was a belief that it was going to be difficult to compete on price with local Chinese companies, and the investment required to invest in more complex generics, as well as high-margin biosimilars, was beyond the means of Sandoz as it became a publicly listed company. The case also touches on the differences of opinion in a very strong leadership team and the options that were explored, or not, as the sale of Sandoz China to Aspen Pharmacare was concluded.

Reference IMD-2680

Organization Sandoz

Industry Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

China

Leadership

Browse all topics

Sandoz (A): Breaking free to stand alone

By Jim Pulcrano Charan Singh Zita Falk Franciska Darmer and Barbara Schmidt-Ley
Case reference: IMD-2669 ©2025

Summary

This case series explores Sandoz's spin off from Novartis, which was finalized on 4 October 2023. Case A follows Richard Saynor's (CEO, Sandoz) ruminations as he builds the company strategy in preparation for the board's approval of Sandoz as a standalone company. The narrative outlines the key strategic areas that Richard, along with his senior leadership team, considered and which strategy was eventually approved by the board of directors (i.e. product portfolio mix), the direction of the growth strategy (i.e. top vs. bottom line approach), target geography regions and ownership model. Case A focuses on the dilemmas and considerations of each strategic area.

Reference IMD-2669

Organization Sandoz

Industry Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Leadership

Global Business

Browse all topics

Lean and clean are perfect partners, says CEO of engineering giant

By Jean-François Manzoni
in I by IMD

Summary

ABB CEO Morten Wierod on leaner cleaner strategy, electrification, automation, robotics, AI, digital transformation, sustainability, leadership.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Strategy

Sustainability

Browse all topics

Generation of Givers - Family Business

By Camille Korschun Peter Vogel and Martin Euwema
in I by IMD

Summary

Discover how family business leaders can nurture a generation of givers, ensuring wealth transfer builds lasting impact.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Family Business

Leadership

Strategy

Browse all topics

The new limits of growth - Geopolitics

By Julia Binder and Manuel Braun
in I by IMD

Summary

Circular and regenerative strategies are redefining business growth amid climate change, resource scarcity, and geopolitical tension within planetary limits.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Geopolitics

Strategy

Sustainability

Browse all topics