Popular
Rabobank
moves into
the limelight
Official
opening
designed
to boost
name re
cognition
in Spain
Rabobank
Allfinanz comes to
Ireland
International private
banking strategy
Raboband
INTERNATIONAL
STAFF COMMUNICATION MAGAZINE
FOR THE RABOBANK GROUP
Issue I 6 february 1995
'January 18 was our official opening,' says joint
general manager Alfredo Jimenez-Millais, 'but in fact
we'd already done some very interesting deals. I think
everyone believed it was better to have something to
show for our efforts before we made a big public
splash.' And that is exactly what Popular Rabobank
has done. 'We are really proud of the business we did
for one of Spain's biggest sherry producers and their
joint-venture partner Ahold, Holland's leading retail
grocer. They were very pleased with our handling of
the deal, so we're convinced there is a potential long
term relationship there. This is a perfect example of
how we can work in the international market - the
Spanish agri and banking communities - and was also
designed to boost the joint venture's image in the
market. 'We then took chairman Wijffels and Henk
Visser to meet the management of Spain's premier
cooperative sugar beet refinery, ACOR. This type of
top level meeting really helps promote our name
recognition here.' Although Popular Rabobank is still
building up its operations, the amount of business al
ready generated has led to plans to increase its current
18-person team to 26. 'And we're even thinking about
a branch office in Barcelona,' Jimenez-Millais says,
'that is some way in the future, but I'm convinced we'11
be able to make it happen.'
The joint venture set up in last April spent its first
nine months quietly moving into the Spanish
market. Now, with positive results to show for its first
year operations, Popular Rabobank has something
to celebrate - and it is doing it in style.
sherry people know Banco Popular extremely well,
and Ahold knows Rabobank. So no lengthy
explanations were needed about who we are.'
Name recognition is a definite problem for the
young jv bank. 'Rabobank is almost an unknown
player in the Spanish market and the same applies for
Popular in Holland,' says Jimenez-Millais, 'so we be
lieved one way to improve that was to get our name in
the Spanish quality newspapers.' Two days before the
opening, Jimenez-Millais and his colleague Arnoud
van Schelven hosted a press trip to the Netherlands to
show Spanish economie and agri-sector journalists just
who Rabobank is. 'I know they were impressed - you
can't buy that kind of publicity.'
The official opening, attended by both parent
banks' top management consisted of a series of cele-
bratory events - lunch at the Dutch ambassador's
residence, a cocktail party for major players in the
The launch of Rabobank's
Dublin office is more than
just a new addition to the
ever-expanding inter
national network.
Page 3.
Rabobank has long been a
low-profile,though
reputable player in the
private banking sector.
A structured strategy was
needed to bring out its full
potential.
Page 6.
Antwerp hosts
Forecast '95
Every year, the bank pro-
duces a comprehensive
economie forecast for the
coming 12 months. For the
second year in succession,
Rabobank Antwerp invites
its clients to debate the
issues with senior
management.
Page 7.