Indonesia -
ROYAL PROGRESS
Rabobank
What's
Monthi.y internal newsletter for the Central Banking Sector
Issue 5 September 1995
The recent state visit of Queen Beatrix of the Nether-
lands, her consort Prince Claus, Crown-Prince Willem
Alexander and foreign minister Hans van Mierlo proved
a perfect opportunity to promote the bank and its activ-
ities in Indonesia. A Dutch trade mission accompanied
the royal visitors, with executive board member Henk
Visser representing Rabobank Nederland. In addition to
the organization of a series of signing ceremonies and co-
hosting of a top level economie seminar, Rabobank also
announced a development donation of half a million
Dutch guilders to assist in setting up savings and credit
cooperatives in rural areas there. For a full report and an
insight into the importance of trade missions, see page 3.
in brief
INTERIM RESULTS
PROMISING
After a fairly moderate start,
the bank's results over the first
half of 1995 generated promis-
ing numbers. Vigorous growth
was hooked in some areas.
Funds entrusted were signifi-
cantly better than in the same
fceriod in the previous year.
bending almost matched the
strong rise in the first half of
1994 and income passed the
NLG 4 billion mark. Commis-
sion income was marginally
lower and interest-rate margins
were tightened slightly, but
both these developments are in
line with the bank's policy of
providing member banks and
clients with the most favour-
able and competitive rates pos-
sible. Financial transaction and
other revenue improved appre-
ciably and the positive down-
ward trend in operating costs
continued. Profit showed
steady growth with the net
result reaching 7.3 percent
(11.4 percent in 1994).
The international division had
a rather slow first quarter, but
results picked up as the second
quarter progressed. Currency
fluctuations played their own
role in interim results, but ac-
cording to Rik van Slingelandt
'the whole foreign network has
clearly made a serious effort to
get close to their budget'.
The Compound Feed Industry is the food
agribusiness research team's most recent
global study. It covers the current and fore-
cast situation in this important industry by
region and offers proposals for growth
strategies.The Compound Feed Industry
is available from mss. Wil van derTuuk
(030) 902804.
EXPANSION
IN AUSTRALIA
Rabo Australia and the Primary
Industry Bank of Australia
(PIBA), which was acquired
last year, have generated no less
than 36 percent growth in the
first half of 1995. The joint
operations focus on the food
and agrisectors in Australia
and New Zealand and they
have pushed up the balance-
sheet total from NLG 2.6
(same period 1994) to 3.4 bil
lion. Income grew at the same
rate.
These positive results led to the
opening of a second office for
Rabo Australia. Besides the
main operation in Sydney, the
bank will now also be working
from Melbourne. PIBA's oper
ations are to be expanded in
the near future. When PIBA was
acquired, it had seven offices
throughout Australia and New
Zealand. Recently, three new
operations were added to the
network: Launceston, Tam-
worth and Darwin. A further
four are now to be launched,
two in Australia (Dubbo and
Wagga Wagga) and two in
New Zealand (Palmerston
North and Dunedin).
contents
IN THIS MONTH'S
WHAT'S NEWS
New faces - the latest erop of
management trainees 2
High-tech operations - new
systems at work 4
Trade finance - policy paper
sets tough targets 6
Complimentary credit - JP
Morgan studies the bank 7
Working week - the 36-hour
agreement 8
Talking heads Henk Gentis
on growth areas 8