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Issue 10/January, 1992 hand
France: branch plus representative office
Rabobank's New York Branch
among the top three US agribanks
Strong growth of
Rabobank Cura$ao
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For four years the Rabobank Group's
presence in France consisted only of a
representative office. In January 1991 the
bank set up its own branch in addition to
this, operating under the name Rabobank
France.
General Manager Oet Bakker of Rabobank
France and his staff of 27 concentrate
mainly on the wholesale business, with the
agribusiness as the focal point. Almost a
year ago Rabobank France moved to an
office on the Boulevard Flaussmann. This
was officially opened in July by Herman
Wijffels, Chairman of the Executive Board.
A strategie alliance has been concluded
with the sister organization Crédit Agricole
to service customers who move to loca-
tions outside Paris. By mutual agreement,
customers will be offered the usual local
bank services. The acceptance of clients is
facilitated by contacts at the head offices
who can accelerate and simplify the accept
ance procedures and supply the necessary
information. The representative office is
continuing its activities, side by side with
Rabobank France. Under the management
of André Bar it aims, among other things,
at advising Dutch people and Dutch com-
panies who are interested in doing business
France. He is also responsible for the liaison
between Rabobank and Crédit Agricoie, in
order to further the strategie alliance.
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Rabobank's New York Branch cel-
ebrated its tenth anniversary on 9 April. It
now has over 148 employees and offices
have also been opened in Dallas and San
Francisco. In a large market like America
a foreign bank can only operate success-
fully by speciaiizing. Needless to say, the
New York Branch opted for the agribusi
ness market.
In the space of just ten years it has al-
ready become one of the top three agri
banks in the USA. All the major companies
in this field know Rabo
bank and its expertise.
In addition, the New York
Branch plays an impor
tant part in supplying
US dollars. Special pro
grammes have been de-
veloped for this, namely
the Commercial Paper and Commercial De-
posits programmes. The New York Branch
is thus in a position to supply the organiza
tion with relatively cheap medium-term dol
lar funds. A good rating is very important
for this. Rabobank is now one of the five
banks worldwide which has the highest rat
ing with a number of important institutes -
the triple A rating. The New York Branch's
tenth anniversary was celebrated in grand
style. Employees who never visit the
Netherlands in connection with their jobs
were able to win a trip to the organiza-
tion's home country as the prize in a com-
petition. Marian Brennan and Karl Propst
will visit Holland in the course of 1992.
The New York Branch was also the training
ground for a number of employees now
managing offices elsewhere in the world.
Willem van Lynden, general manager in
London, was the deputy general manager
in New York. Anton Niilesen, now deputy
general manager in Hong Kong, also began
his international career there, as did Paul
Dekker, at present the representative in
Milan. Other names include Cees Jansen,
who is now in the international department
of De Lage Landen, while Peter Handels
works for De Lage Landen in France and
Jaap Klep - also from New York - is the
general manager of the ADCA-BANK in Dus-
seldorf, Germany.
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Rabobank Curapao is the oldest foreign
office of the Rabobank Group. Since its
formation in 1978 it has played a modest
role in the development of the bank's
foreign business. The position of Rabo
bank Curapao was strengthened in 1991.
There are now two active units: Rabo
bank Curapao NV - the actual bank - and
the Rabo Trust Company Curapao.
Rabobank Curapao initially played a role in
international syndicated credit-granting and
the financing of international organiza-
tions, besides supplying guilder financing
to non-Dutch government bodies. The bank
is a so-called offshore company and as
such it cannot do business on Curapao it-
self. It cannot even make any payments on
the island on behalf of customers or tour-
Curapao is larger than the supply. The
management team in Curapao consists of
Donald Heukeis, until recently Head of
Operational Affairs in Utrecht, Fons van
Dooren, who comes from Schretlen Co.
- Rabobank's securities house - and Jan
van Hunen, who has been working on the
island for years.
ists. There is an important market for trust
business on Curapao. The formation of
the Rabo Trust Company in
Utrecht has also improved
the opportunities for trust ac
tivities in the international
markets. A combined total of
sixteen employees are cur-
rently working with the two
activities. The photograph
shows the situation as it is
at present. But a big in-
crease in staff is planned for
the near future and the bank
is now busy searching for
larger premises. That is no
easy task, because the de-
mand for office space on
