Jimmy Teelen

Jimmy Teelen
Company: Rabobank
Job Title: Associate Director M&A
Age: 30

What are the specialities of this talent?
Jimmy Teelen is an absolute powerhouse: physically (as one of the team’s most avid sporters), mentally (with unmatched work ethic and stress resilience), and emotionally (where everyone in the team knows they can depend on him at all times). At work, Jimmy excels as a colleague, staffer and trusted advisor: he can effortlessly balance a challenging workload while driving effective change in the way the team works and collaborates. Jimmy’s work ethic and inclusive management style is an inspiration and driving force for impactful results within the M&A team and in the wider Rabobank. His focus on teamwork and collaboration has helped to break down barriers between the old way of working and the new, between the M&A team and the Sector Banking team, and between outdated perceptions of Rabobank and the future.

How does the talent distinguish itself from its peers?
Jimmy stands out due to one unique characteristic: his absolute and total dedication. Whether talking about his dedication to his work, Rabobank team, football team, community, family or friends: his complete commitment is undeniable. At work, Jimmy has created a legacy for the team that has redefined how we approach work: as an advocate and promoter of incorporating sports to balance the pressures of the job, and by building the bridge for better alignment across teams in his role as staffer and active participation in crossbusiness line committees.

This dedication is echoed in his personal life: on weekends, Jimmy continues the sleepless lifestyle by getting up at the crack of dawn to work on his family’s farm. On Sundays, Jimmy consistently shows up for his football team and his community – he can be relied on no matter what. Case in point: Jimmy once took a 5am flight on a Sunday back from a work retreat to guarantee he would be on time to play in the Sunday game (and help secure a victory). Jimmy’s unwavering dedication sets him apart in transactions, where clients have grown to trust and rely on his solid support, at work, where the team can rely on him as a role-model and manager, and at home, where his family and community know they can rely on his continued loyalty and contribution.

What impact does the talent have within the organization?
Jimmy has been a steady catalyst for change within Rabobank. In the M&A team, Jimmy has redefined the culture by changing the entire team’s perception for sport, and the benefits for work and mental health. When Jimmy first joined the team as an intern in 2017, going to the gym or finding time for any form of sport during working hours was unimaginable. Nowadays, interns and full-time employees alike are encouraged to take breaks from the long work hours for sporting activities: a movement started by Jimmy’s sportive attitude, and further facilitated by his active advocacy and support in his role as a staffer for the junior pool. The Rabobank M&A team now has all manners of sporting talents: from marathoners (as a team participating in the Utrecht Singelloop, this year to raise funds for KWF) and professional go-carters, to aspiring golf pro’s and yogi’s. Jimmy has not only permanently changed the sporting culture in the team: he has also impacted the culture overall.

Since April 2023, next to his regular M&A responsibilities, Jimmy has assumed the role of ‘staffer’ for the juniors in both the M&A and Sector Banking teams. This is a pioneering role, as previously the teams functioned independently and there was little integration of both culture and processes. True to form, Jimmy took the challenge head-on, with the objective of not only meeting expectations, but to make a lasting difference in how the teams cooperate and how juniors are supported in their professional growth. Jimmy pushes for an open culture focused on inclusivity: he implemented periodic sit downs with the combined junior pool along with individual catch-ups to effectively address all matters that affect the team – upcoming work assignments, team engagement, and personal ambitions.

Next to his cultural impact on the Rabobank M&A and Sector Banking teams, Jimmy is credited as the pioneer and driving force for procedural and structural improvements in the M&A team and beyond. Jimmy is ubiquitous in workstreams related to efficiency: from his contributions on the Valuation committee (revamping the global team’s approach to valuation and financial modelling), to his digitalisation efforts (cheerleading the implementation of time-saving software such as UpSlide and exploring broader AI solutions for the team). He has also reinvigorated the team’s approach to recruitment, secondments, and continues to challenge the status quo as part of the Junior Bankers Committee.

What impact does the talent have outside the organization?
Jimmy’s appetite for inciting change is echoed outside the organisation: as part of his contributions in the recruitment committee, Jimmy helped to craft and share the Rabobank M&A brand name to inspire future recruits. Under his leadership, the message of Rabobank M&A’s mission and culture has found its way to campuses and recruitment events that were previously unexplored, opening the door and creating access for a new generation of talent.

On weekends, Jimmy continues to live by this message of community-first. His support for his football club extends to volunteering: as referee for youth teams, and by raising funds through charity events. Showcasing his skill for creative and impactful solutions, one charity event that has become tradition since Jimmy first introduced it, is a thrilling lottery where participants can place a bet on a section of land. The winning section is selected through a fool-proof random process: by way of a cow (from Jimmy’s family farm of course), and its bowel movement. Just another example of Jimmy’s legacy!

To what extent does the talent makes the difference to clients?
Creative and hands-on solutions are a trade-mark for Jimmy, both for his football club’s charity events, and in his support to clients. As a natural extension of his grounded, salt-of-the-earth character, Jimmy connects easily with entrepreneurial and family-minded clients. Management and shareholders have found they can trust and rely on Jimmy’s tireless support. His dependable nature has resulted in an impressive track record including 15 successful Dutch deals amounting to over 3 billion euros in disclosed deal value.

Jimmy makes a difference in his relentless commitment to success: on-the-ground, working side-by-side with the company and shareholders and always being available to discuss the smallest things: these qualities are second-nature to Jimmy. His work ethic is undeniable, and his ability to remain balanced and level-headed in the toughest circumstances is unmatched. And the changes that Jimmy fights for inside the bank comes through in projects and with clients as well: Jimmy even inspired a client to take on an obstacle run as a result of his enthusiastic cross-fit stories.

Why does the talent deserves this nomination?
When Jimmy was appointed as the M&A and Sector Banking team staffer in April of this year, he set records. Jimmy was the youngest staffer in terms of experience to be trusted with a management role, which is exceptionally revolutionary as the staffer role he took doubled the responsibilities of the previous job description. Yet despite Jimmy stepping into very big shoes, he proved he was more than qualified to fill them. Jimmy deserves the nomination for Best Young Talent, because he has never faltered in his dedication to his work, his team, Rabobank, and his objectives. Jimmy’s drive and successful track record is unmatched, and his commitment to supporting clients and enacting lasting change in the industry and his community is admirable and worthy of being applauded.