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Crème de la crème
Catching business
Showing promise
European Dairy
Conference
What'sNewS Issue 9 September 1998 I 3
Trade finance services team Hildegard Lukowski, Syivia Peters,
Hannelore Hödel and Margrid Böse-Diekmann
-none. 'But onr risk absorption and mitiga-
pon skills can be improved on. In five
years from now we would like to be well
on the way to moving towards investment
banking. By careful structuring, the deal
has the potential to transform a credit risk
into a performance risk, then into a mar-
ket risk, all for the benefit of the bank.'
Intrinsic to trade and structured trade
finance is forfaiting, and contributing to
the regional efforts of Hamburg is forfait
ing and risk distributor Burkhard
Hedrich, who, although is an integral part
of the Hamburg team, functions under the
control and supervision of Rabobank
London. Trade finance Hamburg
presently holds the entire forfait country
line on Turkey, an
amount totalling USD 4
million. Hedrich views
Turkey as an ideal mar-
ket, with its 'central
location and population
of 66 million, it is also
a mernber of Nato and
credit lender with the
US. Plus it is important
not to forget our direct
contact with
the soon to be
up and run
ning
Rabobank
Istanbul.'
Whatever the market, it seems
Rabobank is on the right track.
After only two and a half years
in the business, RI forfaiting cen-
tres of Hamburg and London
were granted by the interna
tional Trade Finance magazine
an award for excellence in the
1998 'Best primary forfaiting
institution'. Rabobank was in
the top 10 European institutions, an
award, insists Hedrich, which proves we
are in the crème de la crème of financial
institutions. 'It sterns from the fact that
we are a well respected and well regarded
international name in forfaiting.'
And for Hamburg, the future looks
equally bright. The sky's the limit when it
comes to trade finance and the team's
enthusiasm is equally boundless.
Hamburg is increasingly looking into
areas such as pre-crop financing and
inventory holding financ
ing, 'then there is the
shipment period," contin-
ues Buchfink, 'it all needs
financing, every step of
the way. And there are
more and more produc-
ing countries coming up.
After the fall of the iron
z curtain, a huge agricul-
tural production base
was freed - take the
grain growing capacity of
the Ukraine for example.
So, in addition to the
already producing coun
tries, new markets are also emerging. Our
challenge is to be there, with the support
of our network, to catch them.'
I/era Daeiemans providing
vital support
There are two structured finance departments ofRi. To clear up any confusion this may cause -
the structured finance department of investment banking utilises the tax capacities ofciients
(offbalance for RI), while the structured finance department ofcorporate finance uses the
bank's own tax capacity (on balance).
If our half year figure results
are anything to go by, then
the entire Rabobank
organization can look back
with satisfaction. A
combination of favourable
economie development, low
interest rates and an
advantageous climate for
investors has lead to a high
demand for the products and
services we offer. Figures are
proof that 1998 is so far
^koking to be the third
^^uccessive year that the
Rabobank Group will show
effective and substantial
growth. Lending was up
13.6%, funds entrusted rose
13.8%, fee income increased
25.5%, our balance sheet
total showed a 25.6% growth
and overall, our total net
profit was up 16.3%. The
growth of the balance sheet
total was due not only to the
developments in the market,
but also to the expansion of
investment banking activities.
RI's lending to the private
sector grew NLG 11.1 billion
to NLG 63.1 billion - some
NLG 5 billion was due to a
change in accounting
principles. Staff numbers grew
by 1,706 to 42,633, a third of
the growth was generated by
our international offices. For
the rest of 1998 an increase
in activities is expected,
although not as big as in the
first half year. End of year
results are still expected to
show further improvement on
last year's figures.
As an F&A niche bank, the
world dairy market fits snugly
into our core focus. That is
why we are hosting a
European Dairy Conference
4th and 5th November 1998.
An impressive panel of top
speakers will bring issues
relating to the dairy industry
into a global perspective,
creating a unique platform for
the exchange of views on
strategie dilemmas in milk
production, international
trading, food processing and
consumer issues.
To be sure both you and your
clients are in on the latest
news concerning the dairy
industry, contact RI marketing
for more information on the
Rabobank International
European Dairy Conference
(tel +31 30 216 2804).
