Alexander Zwart is Rabobank’s new Chief Innovation & Technology Officer and will also join the group’s management. The cooperative bank then found a replacement for CITO Bas Leurs, who decided to leave the bank after seven years.

Zwart started his career in the financial sector in 2008 at Rabobank as Head of Cash Management Operations. After that, as Tribe Lead, he was responsible for the bank’s digital customer platform and helped lead the implementation of agile working. In his current position, he is responsible for the technology department at Rabobank Retail Netherlands. In the past he worked for Nuon and Coca-Cola.

On behalf of the Supervisory Board, Chairman Marjan Trompetter said he was delighted with the appointment. “Alexander has a long history at Rabobank and understands the core of Rabobank’s technology and digitalization very well.”

According to Trompetter, the new CITO has shown that he is capable of “implementing very complex changes within the bank”. “And after Els Kamphof, I am pleased to see another talented Rabobank director joining our group management.”

Number 1 technology company

Zwart’s arrival also marks the departure of Bart Leurs, who is leaving the bank after seven years. “Bart has contributed to the bank’s strategy by accelerating its digital transformation and guiding the bank towards agile ways of working,” Trompetter continued. “In his last role, Bart was very focused on the stability and security of the bank’s IT and technology platforms.”

“He also paid a lot of attention and emphasis to cyber risk, data quality and Rabobank’s attractiveness as a technology company. Thanks to these efforts, Rabobank has been recognized by Computable as the number 1 technology company among non-technology companies in the Netherlands,” said the chairman of the Supervisory Board.

“Bart has also created an environment where his colleagues can deliver impactful innovations for the bank, such as Peaks, Surepay, Fundr and Acor,” added Stefaan Decraene. “We thank Bart for his support of our mission of Growing a Better World Together and his valuable contribution to the management of the group and look forward to working even more closely with Alexander in the management of the group.”