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18
Banks and Books
The story of an encounter –
by Bernhard Aichner
A banker and an author meet. And the author writes about it. That’ll be tough, I thought,
when I was invited to write an account of the meeting for this annual report. I’d have a free
hand, I was told. Hannes Schmid, the management board chairman of RLB Tirol AG, and
Bernhard Aichner, the Tyrolean author, got together to recount tales of tradition, regionalism
and local ties. For a good two hours they talked in a relaxed setting, learning a lot about the
life of a banker and the life of an author – an intriguing encounter. Very intriguing, even.
A meeting
Hannes Schmid – a smart guy, a top banker through and
through. From his first day at work, he’s always been a Raiffeisen
man. He tells me stories of his working day and that he’s
passionate about his job, working 60 to 80 hours a week for
the bank. Together with his two management board colleagues,
Schmid steers the Raiffeisen ship. That’s a responsible task –
guiding the personnel, setting an example, making a profit
and steering clear of icebergs. Schmid does it all with passion,
which is how he talks about the bank. How close it is to his
heart. There’s a fire burning there – you can sense that. He’s
constantly thinking about tomorrow, about next year. When no
one else is doing it. When he’s sleeping, when he wakes up.
He sets new goals, dreaming of even better results. He sets his
own bar high.
Hannes Schmid – a good man whom I’ve known and admired
for years. Because he knows how to listen. He takes an interest
in others and asks questions where others hold their silence.