John Fentener Van Vlissingen

BCD Travel Tweaks Global Partnerships, Sees 'Pockets' Of High Growth

A joint venture with Viajes Iberia in Spain went into effect June 1, following a decision to integrate the two firms' operations there in an effort to provide more comprehensive service, ensure future growth, maximize local opportunities and address local "particularities" in light of the acute impact in Spain of the Great Recession, according to BCD. "Although we have seen enormous growth in the Far East, most of the volume is still driven from American and European companies," said BCD Holdings chairman John Fentener van Vlissingen. "Every company has some weak spots and some strong spots. We have moved some things around. We have become stronger in France where it was necessary, we have changed things in Spain to also become stronger in that area. We have increased our percentage in Sweden by taking over another company [ Travelflow, in 2007 ]. We have also realized that in some countries it's better to have a partner. "Generally, the biggest problem with China is that it is estimated that 70 percent to 80 percent of the Western companies don't make a profit in China," said van Vlissingen. "Who does make a profit? The partner. It's still something that is wrong in that country. Short-term, you can live on that. When the growth stays as it is, people are kind of accepting it because they all say, 'We have to be in China.' Major corporations, if you read annual reports, all say the same statements: They have to be in China, but they are losing money, and they are losing money for years. For us, it's the same. We have to be in China, and we have to be in different cities in China, but I hate losing money. So let's be there efficiently, let's be able to handle our clients in a perfect way and let's not do more." "If you look at 2011, overall you can see that customers have come back to travel, very rapidly as a matter of fact," said BCD Travel CEO Joop Drechsel. "We tend to look very much at the American market or at the U.K., but I can see the growth pockets in Asia, in South America and even in certain parts of Europe. We have a lot of successful German customers who all seem to be really exporting like crazy to Asia." BCD Travel now employs more than 750 people in Asia. Van Vlissingen commented that while "most of the corporations have healthy balance sheets, have high liquidity and are in very good shape generally," prudence still has them talking about being "very cautious.

John Fentener van Vlissingen spreekt over zakelijke relatie met ...

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BCD zocht een nieuw kantoor en het vond een leegstaand pand aan de Europalaan in Utrecht. Van Vlijmen bleek de eigenaar. Fentener van Vlissingen: ‘Omdat ik de man niet kende heb ik zowel bij Rabobank als ABN Amro informatie ingewonnen. Beiden zeiden direct: “Uitstekende partij om zaken mee te doen”. Eén van de twee zei direct: “We zullen het ook direct financieren voor je”.’

Een tweede transactie vond plaats in Haarlem, waar BCD van verschillende locaties terug wilde naar één. Omdat de deal in Utrecht prima verliep, dacht Fentener van Vlissingen om wederom met Van Vlijmen in zee te gaan. ‘Hij kwam aan met een pand midden in het centrum van Haarlem. Een uitstekend gebouw. We deden het zowel in Utrecht als in Haarlem 50-50.’ De deal was nauwelijks gesloten of het nieuws over Van Vlijmen kwam naar buiten. ‘Ik heb toen Van Vlijmen benaderd en gezegd: “Ik wil geen oordeel treffen over hetgene wat er gebeurt, maar één ding is zeker: ik koop je nu uit”.’

Volgens Van Vlijmen is Fentener van Vlissingen ‘one of a kind’, maar de SHV-telg vindt dat onzin. ‘Misschien is hij hier twee keer geweest. We hebben elkaar voorgesteld en we hebben een deal gedaan. Ik ben nog nooit bij hem thuis geweest, ik ken hem verder niet. Ik heb in goede trouw een transactie gedaan, we doen bijna iedere week wel een transactie.

The New York times magazine

DUTCH Continued from Page 26 always done," says John Fentener van Vlissingen. " Maybe it's something that tickles us." Rather than simply cast his tot with ...

Dutch Billionaires, Joop Van Den Ende, John De Mol, Marcel Boekhoorn, John Fentener Van Vlissingen, Charlene De Carvalho-heineken, List of Dutch by Net Worth, Frits Golds

Buckhead, Atlanta's First Address

BC'D Holdings NV was launched; an international empire was crafted; a determined man — John Arthur Fentener van Vlissingen — was soon to become sovereign of ...

Lexis Nexis corporate affiliations

Bruneau John A. Fentener van Vlissingen RWJ Groenink PC Klaver ML Mautner Markhof LAA Van den Berghe HHF Wijtfels Dyas BV (1) Rijnkade 1 3511 LC Utrecht, ...

The economist

Flying Dutchman John Fentener van Vlissingen fled a powerful family dynasty. But he has not been able to escape questions of family ownership and succession ...