Irene Hoeben

Area Controller

“I studied accountancy at the Nyenrode University and worked three years in the Accountancy for Deloitte. As my husband and me moved to Switzerland, I looked for a controlling job in an English-American company. For Pitney Bowes Switzerland (located near Zurich) I worked three years as Controller of the operating company (ca 60 employees). I was local Board member and managed a team of 5 employees. Due to the fact that the operating company was rather small, my activities were very varied. In my last year, I leaded the SAP-implementation with a simultaneously running restructuring program including removal of back-office activities to a shared services center (located in Germany).

When I returned to the Netherlands in 2004, I applied for a job within Océ. The main reasons for me to join Océ were first the career perspectives with a.o. job rotations every three years in order to build up experience. Second, the R&D image of developing high quality products and third, the international image and AMX-listing.

Within Océ I started as member of the SOx-implementation team in the Group Controlling Department, where I was a.o. responsible for implementation of a software-tool, giving courses for users and setting up the SOx-organization within Océ.

After one year I moved to Area Controlling (still within the Group Controlling Department) to have a staff-function for the Corporate Board. My activities were divers and included quarterly reporting for the Supervisory Board, financial presentations (e.g. Investor Relations, Audit Committee), Strategic Planning (consolidation & presentations), budget/target processes, investment proposals, etc.

Since March 2009 I’m working as Area Controller for the Strategic Business Unit Document Printing (DP). My main responsibilities are the monthly and quarterly reporting and the related presentations to the Corporate Board including in-depth analyses. Furthermore, I am having area responsibilities for a number of Océ DP operating companies. During the year I’m also involved in the business review-business plan-target-budget cycle.

Due to the variety in job activities my working days/weeks are never similar. The only repeating activities are the monthly and quarterly reporting. The greatest challenge in my current job is time management in the reporting periods, because usually several activities need to be done in the same timeframe (e.g. in October monthly reporting and budget meetings).

In our department people are working hard. Nevertheless there is a good, positive atmosphere where people are stimulated to develop themselves. Furthermore, our department consists of people with a large variety in working experience and background which means that we can learn a lot from each other.”