Chicago in the picture People
China poised
for growth
Asia conference -
building on networking
2 International
One of the newest additions to the bank's international
network, Rabobankers in Chicago wanted to get their
picture in the paper, so they sent us a group portrait
taken at the official opening late last year. Back row,
fltr: Angela Nuby, Ron Little, Sharon Luellen, Larry
Sidwell, Mike King, Eelko Bronkhorst and Greg Mojica;
Front, fltr: Judy Bresolin, Michael Butz, Elaine Endier,
Bob Bucklin, Steve Phillips and Tom Stevens. In the
centre is, of course, Rabobank chairman Herman
Wijffels.Tim Fossa and Ruth Bertolozzi are missing
from the picture.
This is the Chinese Year of the
Pig, symbolizing wealth and
goodfortuneforall.And if every-
thing goes according to plan, it
could prove exactly that for Rabo
bank - especially in the PRC.
Hong Kong branch had
what GM Sjouke Postma des-
cribes as 'a very good year in
1994. Our people actually
brought in three excellent per
formances,' he says. 'First, the
syndications department did
exceptionally well. Plus, we've
been able to do some very nice
deals on large projects with the
agri-project finance team. Last
but definitely not least, our
commodity and trade finance
team did a fantastic job of put
ting us firmly on the market
map, and that after only one
year of trading.'
Things are clearly moving in
Hong Kong, but on the main-
land they're moving even fas-
ter. 'The Shanghai rep office
was a great start, but it was
certainly only a start. We hop
ing to gain full branch status
there in the very near future.'
The bank is acting rapidly in
China because changing fiscal
legislation means off-shore ac-
tivities are no longer as com-
petitive as they once were.
'This is why we pushing ahead
with this licence and I think
you'11 see us looking for a new
office in a different location
there very soon.'
The PRC may be taking off rapidly, but
its postal service remains slow. The
bank's representative in Shanghai
sent this photograph offto us in
November - it took three months to
arrivé. But we thoughtyou'd like to see
it anyway just in case we have the
same mail hiccup next time Rabobank
opens an office in China. Henk Visser is
pictured here with the vice president
of the Peopie's Bank of China, Shang
hai Branch, Ms Lin Yu Li.
Brazil Sao Paolo's CAN DO TEAM
has been reorganized and rein-
forced.The new chief of risk man
agement is Dainesi who joined
the bank on February 1He is
supported by two new trainees,
Guilherme and Juliana. Araujo
was looking for a new challenge,
so he transferred from the credit
department to take up a new
position with the commercial
department.The new head of
operations is Dauernheimer
whose appointment is effective
February 6.
North America/Dallas New col-
lateral inspection officer Michael
Walker is an established expert
in commodities inspection. He
joins the Dallas office, reporting
to Callan Oltmann.
New York Benefits manager,
human resources Robert Arthur
comes to the bank from Bankers
Trust via Time Inc. He brings to
the bank 11 years of experience
in employee benefits and human
resources.Treasury risk analyst
Amy Tulman also comes from
Bankers Trust. She is an MBA in fi
nance and BA in economics and
in her new position will be report
ing to Steve Honig. Senior fi-
nancial analyst Cristina Lirot has
over 15 years of banking exper
ience, most recently with New
Canaan Bank and Trust. She will
be reinforcing the credit depart
ment. Mary Marley has been ap-
pointed loan compliance officer,
reporting to Dianne Embree.
She comes to the bank from
Allied Irish in New York where
she was a credit administrator.
The corporate services depart
ment has a new senior customer
representative for syndication.
Winnie Ng was with NatWest in
New York for 18 years, most
recently as operations supervisor.
All appointments already
effective.
Thailand The bank's newest rep
office is now up and running.
Bangkok-based Tjepke Nawijn is
the representative and though
he is still operating from his hotel
telephone, we should have exact
location details by next issue.
Utrecht/Eindhoven Former chief
representative in Indonesia,
Henk Danser, has been appoint-
ed head of the retail marketing
and sales at the bank's office in
Eindhoven. His new appointment
is effective immediately.
Delegates from all over the Pacific Rim, and from New
York, San Francisco and Utrecht met in Singapore for
the second regional trade finance conference.
The aim was to discuss ways of improving network
ing and direct communication between offices in this
increasingly important region for the bank. 'The idea is
to exchange know-how and expertise, and to promote
a regional approach to international trade finance,'
says conference chairman Shafik Gabr. 'Each delegate
makes a presentation on how their office deals with the
market and we're increasingly seeing improvements in
the way they work together on deals.'
The conference proved an ideal venue for two im
portant announcements. Headoffice has approved a
lower weighting under the country limits for back-to-
back L/C transactions. This was particularly welcome
news for Hong Kong and Singapore, as both generate
an immense volume in this particular product. An-
other piece of good news was the fact that interna
tional trade finance has achieved the tough goals and
targets laid down in the 1992 global agribusiness
policy. 'And I was also able to teil people what the
new targets will be for the coming four years,' says
Gabr, 'they're even tougher.'
