Rabobank Asia, Rabobank's
first merchant bank outside
the Netherlands
Rabo
band
Clip The Chinese believe that the world goes through repeti-
I rn tive cycles of twelve years. Every calendar year is depict-
ed by an animal, real or mythical. The dragon, a dreaded
ff 1 H creature in Western culture but much revered in Chinese
mythology, is one of these twelve animals. The year of the dragon,
symbolizing prosperity and wealth, started on 5 February 1988 and
ended on 5 February 1989. Rabobank Asia Ltd ('Rabobank Asia'),
officially opened its doors at the tail end of the dragon year.
Issue 3/April 5, 1989
nates the appointments of the Operations
Manager, Rose Quek, but also ensures all
routine administration of the department.
Last but not least, is the tea-iady. For rea-
sons unknown, she is nicknamed 'Mary'
by the girls of the department. With all
these interesting and definitely cheerful
girls, the day-to-day routine is extremely
pleasant.
Treasury As from 1 February 1989
the Treasury department has been re-
vamped with the appointment of several
new staff members who will join the deal
ing team. The department is headed by
Lim Cheng Huat, Senior Treasury Manager.
Cheng Huat is a Singaporean with 26
years of banking experience, 17 years of
which were dedicated to foreign exchange
dealing and money market activities with
international banks based in Singapore.
He will lead his current team of dealers
comprising the following: Maureen Heng,
Chief Dealer, Foreign Exchange; Michael Low,
Dealer Foreign Exchange/Money Market; Roy
Phuan, Dealer Foreign Exchange/Money Mar
ket; Jenny Ku, Position Cierk. The team is ex-
pected to have further additions as and
when volume dictates. The spot and forward
dealers will focus their activities on the usual
major currencies but will be especially active
in the Dutch Guilder and the DM-markets.
The Treasury division will also concen-
trate on building up existing relationships
of the Rabobank Group with regional cen
tral banks, financial institutions and es-
tablishing new relationships. The Treas
ury division will also render strategie ser
vices to the newly incorporated merchant
bank, Rabobank Asia Ltd, in providing
treasury and money market-related activi
ties for the merchant bank's local and re
gional customers, both individual and cor-
porate.
Credit and Marketing The Credit
Marketing Department originally started
with three people headed by Robert R.
Smit, now with Area Management, Utrecht
Head Office. Today, the team (team spirit
being an important ingrediënt for success)
has doubled in size and comprises six peo
ple under the charge of Raymond Koh as
the Credit Marketing Manager. Other de
partment members include Loke Poh Lam,
Senior Account Manager, Lai Chong Tuck,
Account Manager, Jimmy Tea, Account Offi-
cer, Elizabeth Chin, Secretary and Koh
Eng, Clerk. Primarily, the department is re-
sponsible for business development in
Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand and of course
Singapore. Active involvement is also seen
in corporate lending to New Zealand and
Australian companies.
As an offshore bank, of which there
are 83 in Singapore, the range of services
and activities that the branch can provide
are like the fully-licensed commercial
banks except that for S$ loans, a maxi
mum aggregate of S$ 50 million is allowed
and taking deposits from residents is not
permitted. The branch is actively involved
in trade finance, project finance, working-
capital financing, loan syndications and
other lending activities. Our major concern
is to be of service to the member banks of
the Rabobank Group and Rabobank Neder
land and their respective customers and to
project the bank as a major international
'agribusiness' bank. As testimony to our
serious intentions in agribusiness financ
ing, Gijs van der Schrieck was recently in-
vited to be a panel speaker in a success-
fully organized seminar on Agro-technology
in Singapore, a seminar which amongst
others is supported by the Singapore Pri-
mary Production Department, the Econom
ie Development Board and the Association
of Banks in Singapore.
From the humble beginnings as the
Investment Banking Department of
the Singapore Branch, Rabobank
Asia was incorporated into a merchant
bank on 1 January this year. Rabobank
Asia is a significant milestone for the
Rabobank Group, being its first merchant
bank outside the Netherlands. With such
auspicious beginnings, the new bom 'drag-
on'child might tend to be rash sometimes.
Sensible parents are essential. Rabobank
Asia has at its helm Frederik Hoek, Manag-
ing Director and Noorhayati Kassim Quek,
Deputy Managing Director. Obedient, re-
spectful, intelligent and hardworking 'chil-
dren' are always a gift. Rabobank Asia was
biessed with these in its 'pioneer' staff
Ang Eng Hieang, Senior Officer and There
sa Pradad, Secretary who were later fr
lowed by Eugene Ang, Officer and Alici^.
Lim, Clerk/Typist.
Private banking Located in the dy-
namic Asia Pacific region, the scope to grow
is tremendous. However, just like an enthu-
siastic young child, we are constantly re-
minded of the need not to try to do every-
thing and end up being 'good for nothing'.
Rabobank Asia is aware of the need for
market niches and at present it provides
services in four major areas. in the first
place Private Banking, a wide range of per-
sonalized services with possible spin-offs
for the Rabobank Group. The focus will be
on rich Asians, some of whom have present
assets often exceeding that of their compa
nies. The development of Private Banking
will be in cooperation with the relevant de-
partments in Utrecht and the offices in
Luxembourg, Zurich and ADCA-Bank.
Dutch guilders Other activities of
Rabobank Asia are the Institutional
Investment Advisory Services. The huge
pool of excess liquidity especially in the
NICs, the Newly Industrialized Countries,
presents good opportunities for invest
ment services. Focus will be on a fair
share of the capital market business de-
The Operationsstaff of the Singapore branch.
