Turkish delights
in short
contents
Rabobank
Monthly newsletter for Rabobank International fot intCfHOl USB Otlly Issue 10 October 1998
ICM signing
International
Triple celebrations
On the move
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On track earlier than first
imagined, operations in
Istanbul are now officially off
the ground. Present at the 11
September Istanbul branch
opening was executive board's
Rik van Slingelandt, who
commented that tliis newest
link in the Rabobank global
jietwork chain of specialists
Piot only provides added value
to our customers, but also
indirectly contributes to
development of the Turkish
food processing industry,
stimulates export and increases
the quality of health care
services.' Perhaps all reasons
why Rabobank's fast track
three-month period in
obtaining approval from the
Turkish authorities to establish
a branch was so efficiënt.
Following the opening lunch,
attended by target clients and
the Dutch Ambassador, the
over 250 guests were treated to
a reception at the historical
Ciraagan Palace followed by an
informal boat trip on the
fabled Bosphorus. The Istanbul
branch will kick off with their
so-far 27 recently recruited
senior staff members. Besides a
fu 11 range of corporale banking
products, the Turkish operation
will also offer corporate and
structured trade finance and
Lining up for business following Turkey's official opening
investment banking services. inaugurated the historical street
According to general manager where we as Rabobank were
Henk Adams, the opening was the first tenants,' says Adams,
the second recognition of 'an event which, like our
Rabobank in as many weeks. inauguration, attracted much
'The Turkish president recently media attention.'
The Netherlands branch cash
management services
department is in the final stages
of implementation of its
fcternational cash management
~CM) services to include
among other things, more
efficiënt cross border payments
and euro cash pools. According
to Douwe van der Meer of the
Netherlands branch ICM team,
'the introduction of the euro is
a driving force for customers to
reassess banking relationships.
In the highly competitive
European market, banks are
investing enormous amounts to
implement ICM services, while
US banks, like Bank of
America, already have these
services in place and are
looking to put more emphasis
on European domestic
markets.' To extend our cash
Management capabiIities,
a recent agreement with the
Bank of America will integrate
their centralized administration
and support services into the
RI network, a move that
promises to offer one-stop
shopping capabilities and pan-
European ICM services for our
European customers, without
the heavy investment.
Luxembourg had triple reason
to celebrate last month: official
opening of their new building,
recognition of the Rabobank
Group's 100 years of success
and commemoration of
Luxembourg's tenth birthday
were all rolled into one.
General manager Jean-Pierre
van Keymeulen together with
executive board's Rik van
Slingelandt cut the ribbon in
the presence of the 300 staff
and financial contacts
attending to officially open the
new premises. Proving the sky's
the limit for our successful
private banking operations, an
own-branded hot-air balloon
floated next to Luxembourg's
triple-celebration.
London's long awaited move to
the impressive new Thames
Court building has begun. To
start the ball rolling, the entire
investment banking team took
up their new position on the
second floor during the last
week of September. Best
guesses anticipate that the next
two phases - culminating in the
entire office and all employees
relocating - will be completed
by the year's end. Situated in
an area seeped in history, the
new Thames Court building
overlooks the Thames River,
London's Globe Theatre and
the Tate Museum of Modern
Art. During the reshuffle all
departments - investment
banking aside - can still be
reached on the old numbers.
Contact investment banking
on the new telephone number:
+44 171 809 3000.
Indian innovation - highlighting
novel management structure 3
F&A networking - exchanging info
and teaming up 4
International currency crisis - an
inside view of the snow-balling
disaster 6
M&A strategy - Brian Havill
heightens our pro file 12
Team dynamics in Chicago - health
care and media and telecom 14
Talking heads - Chris Abbenhuis
from Argentina 16
