Centenary year brings growth
in brief
contents
Rabobank
Monthly newsletter for Rabobank International fot" I fltCm QI U5€ Oflly Issue 3 March 1999
Catering for press
International
Euro scttling in
'March'ing into
another issue of
What's NewS
What'sNewS
In his final official
appearance for the
Rabobank Group, departing
chairman Herman Wijffels
was able to go out in style.
Once again, the Group has
brought in 'satisfactory'
results, with both lending and
funds entrusted up by 17
percent. On the insurance
side, premium turnover rose
15 percent, assets under
management were up a huge
51 percent and retail securities
and options transactions leapt
by 45 percent. Remarking that
'we have evolved into an all
round financial services
provider which can offer
customers a full range of
Allfinanz products,' Wijffels
was able to prove that
customer focus works by
announcing an 8 percent
increase in net profits built up
from increases in interest rate
income up 7 percent and fee
income up no less than 20
percent - 'it's all part of our
shift towards intermediary
services,' Wijffels said. Total
income over our centenary
year rose 11 percent, with the
BIS ratio and core capital (tier
1) remaining firm at 11 and
10 percent respectively.
(For more Information see
pages 3-5 and 10-11).
Hans Smits and Herman Wijffels presenting the numbers
Rabobank Internationale (RI)
press department found a
unique way to make the latest
food and agribusiness research
(FAR) study
appealing - at
gut level. The
study, 'The
World of
Foodservice',
was recently
launched
externally
during a press conference
attracting journalists nation-
wide. Held in a highly
appropriate venue, restaurant
Le Festival which caters to the
large percent of businesses in
the area who do not have in-
house foodservice, the ensuing
coverage promises to raise
external awareness of FAR
publications. The first
objective of the press
conference was to promote the
study. It differed from others
in being the first to be held
outside the bank. Attending
was a good mix of general
media as well as sector-specific
press. The report is available
from RI marketing (fax +31
30 216 1976).
Paris Branch was last month
host to the seventh in an
ongoing series of euro
coördinators meetings.
Organized by overall euro
project manager Hans Reusch,
together with Paris input from
Dutch desk's Sirnone
Markering, the meeting
concentrated on planning
during the euro transition
period - between now and
2001Some 50 international
euro coördinators, including
IT and operations personnel,
gathered from all corners of
Euroland, Poland, Switzerland
and New York for a progress
report. High on the meeting's
agenda was a self-critical
evaluation focusing on lessons
to be learned so far and
identifying areas of
improvement. A global
dilemma covered, one not
confined to RI alone but a
problem for the entire
international banking
community, was the technical
issue of solving arising
clearing and international
payments hiccups. Rabobank
Nederland international
payments department offered
solutions to the payments
challenge with further help
extended from several other
RI offices. Adjusting minor
teething problems in our euro-
specific Atlas software was
also top priority. In addition,
Berend du Pon, London's
assistant general manager,
gave a highly-rated presen-
tation positioning RI within a
euro-currency environment.
The euro coördinators for the
EMU based offices agreed
upon a quarterly progress
report for the remaining
transition period.
Wijffels steps down
- a fond farewell 3
Wholesale funding activities
-a balancing act 6
Restructuring US
- centralizing expertise 7
International equities
- new solutions 9
Budget results
- planning ahead 10
Talking heads
-Herman Wijffels, inspiration
for Talking heads 12
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