Rabobank - Past and Present
4 International
Partners in trade
1994 - a year of
renewal
Riding offer
ISSUE 25/24 JANUARY 1994
In 1993, Rabobank intensified
its relatïonship with the
Netherlands' Centre for the
Promotion of Trade (NCH).
One result is the bank's closer
involvement in NCH activities,
such as the organization of the
so-called EuroPartenariat trade
fairs.
The EuroPartenariat is aimed at
stimulating development in what
are known in Eurospeak as 'less
favoured regions' in the EU. The
basic idea is to expand enterprise
in these regions by promoting tra
de between small and medium-
sized businesses there and similar
companies in other EU and non-
EU countries. Says International
banking services liaison officer,
Bert Wiss: 'It is actually an excel
lent concept because it is not on-
ly truly pragmatic, but is also sub-
sidized by Brussels so that even
the smallest of businesses is able
to get out there and see what op-
portunities for international tra
de are available to them.'
The concept is simple. A particular
region is selected and work begins
on compiling a directory of local
small and medium-sized com
panies which meet specific criteria,
such as potential abifity to export or
act as distributors. This directory,
available in five languages from
chambers of commerce or national
trade promotion organizations, is
then presented to companies in
each EU state which may be in-
terested in that specific region.
'Rabobank will be taking care of
the next two Dutch presentations
- on Turkey and Poland,' says
Wiss. 'As a bank, we are also ex-
tremely interested in these two
countries. And hosting the pre
sentations gives us an opportuni-
ty not only to provide our clients
with an additional service, but in
troducés us to potential new busi
ness as they are also attended by
non-Rabobank clients.'
Following the presentation, com
panies can then register for the
two-day trade fairs. 'But unlike
normal shows,' Wiss continues,
'these are extremely efficiënt and
well-organized because on arrival
participants receive a pre-arrang-
ed list of appointments with com
panies from the region in focus
that could be interesting for them.'
However, business at Euro
Partenariat is done at many more
levels. 'Not only can you meet and
talk with people from that parti
cular region, but many of the
other visitors - from all over the
world - are also potentially inter
esting trade partners. The fair I at
tended in Scotland last month was
truly impressive. I think it is a
wonderful opportunity for small
and medium companies because
they tend to have little time for
networking and often don't have
an "export manager" who can de
vote all his or her time to search-
ing out new business. The fairs
mean they are able to meet a large
number of potential part ners in a
short period without having to
spend months finding them. And
figures show that around 60 per
cent of meetings lead in possible
partnerships and 40 percent to ac-
tual signed contracts.'
Forthcoming EuroPartenariat
trade fairs will be held in Istanbul,
Turkey on April 6 and 7; Gdansk,
Poland on June 9 and 10 - Rabo
bank will host the presentations
for these fairs on February 2 and
April 15 respectively.
This occasional series returns to Raboband International in
the next issue and we will be focussing on the developments
within the CBS which have been designed to streamline the
organization and improve its efficiency and performance.
the actual market. So we will
have to adopt a mediatory role
in the sense that, instead of sit-
ting here thinking how things
should be done nationwide, we
should be diseminating the best
practices available within the or
ganization. We have to search
out sound suggestions and busi
ness practices in the member
banks and introducé them
throughout the organization.
There's absolutely no point in sit-
ting here reinventing the wheel.'
'Over the past year,' he told the as-
sembled personnel, 'we have seen
a large number of developments
get off the ground. We've seen in-
creased efficiency drives in the
member banks, and we've been
actively pursuing a cost-reduction
policy through a number of pro-
jects. We'11 be continuing those ef-
forts in 1994 and, if the past year
can be designated as a year of re-
thinking, the new year will be a
period when renewal in many
areas will take on concrete form.'
1993 was not a bad year for Rabo
bank as a whole, certainly in view
of the current economie climate.
And the efficiency and other
drives which had been set in mo
tion were already showing re-
sults. Wijffels pointed out that
growth in costs had been slowed
by 3 percent, credit portfolios
had grown by 7 percent, but the
fiinds entrusted to the bank in
savings had shown only 2-per-
cent growth, which 'was not
good at all'. And though the bank
saw a year-end return on solven-
cy of 6 percent, this was still well
below the targeted 10 percent.
'In the past,' he continued, 'this
bank relied on the availability of
cheap savings. That time is over.
So we have to be more active in
bringing in clients. To do that,
In his traditional New Year's
Address to Central Banking
Sector staff, chairman Herman
Wijffels described the coming
period as a time of internal
change which, he hopes, will
gradually make the bank
even more competitive,
efficiënt and effective in its
markets. But there's still a lot
to be done before these goals
are achieved.
Chairman Herman Wijffels
- no intention of reinvent
ing the wheel.
renewal and cost-control must
go hand in hand. In addition, we
have to develop new approaches
within Rabobank Nederland. We
will have to see the member
banks more as clients and ap-
proach them on a more equal ba
sis. They have a vast amount of
expertise on and knowledge of
Rabobank is the chief sponsor
of the World Equestrian
Games to be held in The
Hague from July 27 to August
7 this year. Competitors from
all over the world will be
competing in the full range of
equestrian disciplines and
tickets for these events are
available to Rabobank
personnel at reduced rates.
A full program (unfortunately
only in Dutch) and the reduced
prices were printed in issue 1 of
the Dutch Raboband. However,
the offer is also open to staff at the
foreign offices. Ariyone who is in
terested should contact the spon
soring department, UCB 561,
preferably before February 1.