'International activities'
main topic at General
Meeting
band
The board members and general managers of the local
Rabobanks meet annually at the General Meeting. On June 8th it
was held true to tradition in the enormous halls of the Utrecht
Trade Fair Centre. During the morning, almost three thousand
representatives from the banks discussed the policy of the previ-
ous year. The afternoon was, as usual, reserved for a special
topic. This year the bank's international activities took centre
stage.
Report on video
Issue 4/September 22, 1989
Kif I1U
speech was amply illustrated with video im
ages of the activities of Rabobank offices
outside the Netherlands projected on
Europe's largest video screen.
Service to customers 'The essence of
our policy is that Rabobank cannot realize
its objective of being a credit co-operative -
that is, a fully-fledged Dutch bank of and for
its business customers - without also be
ing a bank for, and a bank in, foreign coun-
tries', said Klarenbeek during his speech.
'If our customers are doing more business
abroad, then we should also be there be-
cause it is our job to represent the inter-
ests of our customers.' Rabobank is now
rapidly making good ground in the provision
of services abroad. There are already 642
men and women employed all over the
world. Klarenbeek advised the local Rabo
banks in the Netherlands to consider regu-
larly how the international activities of
Rabobank Nederland can be of significance
to them.
Support Klarenbeek was clear about
the aims of the world-wide activities of the
Rabobank Group: 'We must first of all de-
Chairman of the Executive Board, Herman Wijf
fels, addresses the meeting.
Visitors to the meeting were intro-
duced to the activities of the Inter
national Division even before they
entered the hall. At an information market
mounted on a large scale, 'International'
dominated with an impressive stand which
focused attention on all offices outside the
Netherlands. It turned out to be a meeting-
place where the General Managers and
staff of these offices from all over the
world could shake hands with the board
members and General Managers of the lo
cal Rabobanks. After the meeting was over,
the information market was also open to
staff members of the Rabobanks and
Rabobank Nederland, which led to even
more acquaintances being made.
International activities At the annual
meetings, the afternoons were always re
served for a speaker from outside the
Rabobank Group. This is usually a dignitary
who reports on Dutch Government policy or
on monetary policy. This year all eyes were
fïxed on the Vice-Chairman of the Executive
Board, Henry Klarenbeek, who captured
the attention of his audience with an inter-
esting subject: international policy. His
velop into an international bank for Dutch
entrepreneurs because, without a suitable
international services package in a world
that is rapidly changing and becoming
smaller, we can no longer realize the task
we have set ourselves. We must, secondly,
play a prominent role as a specialized
world-wide agribusiness bank. Finally, we
must, through our foreign operations, find
ways of tapping sources of funds that are
well-spread internationally, also for the
benefit of our financing activities in the
Netherlands.'
Tripie-A The raising of funds has all the
qualities necessary for succesful operating.
The organization's strong capital position
has already gained international recognition
in the form of a 'triple-A-rating' with three
separate institutes. Says Klarenbeek: 'Be
cause of this we compete in the small 'pre
mier division' of the most highly regarded
banks and enterprises in the world. We are
regarded world-wide as a strong bank with a
solid market position in the Netherlands
and a strong international specialization.'
Mature At the meeting Klarenbeek
made it clear that in foreign business too,
Rabobank has good reason to nurture a
healthy degree of self-confidence. 'The
foreign services package can exist as a
mature component of the main activities of
the local bank. The sun never sets on the
network of offices that we have established
in ten years. In this respect too, we offer a
round-the-clock service.'
The report that was delivered during
the meeting of the General Managers
and board members has been record-
ed on video. The staff at the local
banks in the Netherlands have also
had the chance to look at it. The
video was translated into English and
German and sent to all our offices
abroad.
During the break, Herman Wijffels is interviewed by Dutch Television.
