Strong Source Episode 4 with Daan Vriens
Mar 1, 2024
Daan Vriens, CEO of Cefetra and seasoned commodity expert, shares insights from his dynamic career in tropical oils trading. He discusses his transition from a trader to leadership, emphasizing the importance of credibility and adaptability in management. Daan compares strategic planning to trading, highlighting the need to test assumptions and prioritize actions. He also delves into crisis leadership during COVID and the de-risking strategies adopted during the Ukraine crisis. With a focus on cultivating talent, Daan outlines his unique approach to decentralized organization and customer obsession.
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Episode notes
Career Shift From Trading To General Management
- Daan Vriens shifted from pure trading to broader general management to avoid career narrowness and be closer to family.
- He later became CEO of Cefetra after seeking roles that matched his evolving interests and life situation.
Empower Teams Through Decentralization
- Decentralize trading operations to give teams freedom to decide quickly and act offensively.
- Accept trade-offs: decentralization sacrifices some synergies but preserves agility and ownership.
Strategy Is Like Trading
- Daan equates strategic thinking with trading: set a horizon, make assumptions, then continuously test and adjust.
- He prioritizes planning and actions over rigid budgets because numbers will inevitably be wrong.