ABN Amro chief executive Gerrit Zalm entertained staff at the bank’s traditional New Year cabaret by appearing in drag as his ‘sister’.

Rather than the usual speech about market conditions, ‘Priscilla Zalm’ outlined how she advised her brother to lead the bank, Nos television reports on Wednesday.

Priscilla claimed to have run a brothel for years. Had the bank not learned to make the customer all important, she asked, pointing out she had never done it differently.

‘We embrace the client, we look for a connection with him and we are happy to see him come back,’ Nos television quotes Priscilla as saying.

Nor did she have any trouble attracting outstanding female personnel, Zalm said. ‘Women on top, that is our motto.’