| It started with hackers who were contracted as | | | | the tax-system. |
| security-officers. They were smarter as the average | | | | Both Nick Leeson as Jerome Kerviel started their |
| employee in that area and they could find leaks | | | | jobs in the back-office. They have seen how the |
| where others would not look. These hackers worked | | | | administration was done and that information seemed |
| low profile, they were not famous. | | | | useful when they changed into traders. |
| Then, although not on a large scale, came the | | | | In biographical management terms the value of their |
| financial "wiz kid." It started with Nick Leeson and | | | | curriculum resides in the combination of experience in |
| recently followed by Jerome Kerviel. Nick Leeson | | | | a specialist job (trader) and the more supportive |
| changed into a (public) coach by giving presentations | | | | back-office knowledge. This makes that these people |
| about risk management. Companies hire him to have | | | | have insight in the whole working of an organization. |
| them explain possible risks ... again where most others | | | | Or at least a broad area. |
| would not look. | | | | The next attribute to the value of their curriculum is |
| Some call this - it takes a thief to catch one. A | | | | in the media attention they have received. They are |
| specialist that has robbed the most sophisticated | | | | now famous and that is important prerequisite for |
| safe is called a hero because nobody else could do it. | | | | becoming a coach (like Maradona).; people value |
| But there is a difference between the recent cases | | | | status. |
| of the Leesons and the earlier hackers. Those how | | | | Last but not least, they have survived a personal |
| have seen the flaws of risk management have a | | | | crisis. Nick Leeson has written a book about stress |
| different productivity profile; they know more | | | | management and that is a first topic of his new |
| because they have seen more: not in depth, in | | | | career as a coach. |
| expertise, but in breadth. They have seen the whole | | | | A portrait of a transformation. A real change in |
| company and found a hole in it. | | | | productivity. |
| This is like the tax-advisor who has seen a whole in | | | | H.J.B. |