in briet
East mects West
Pumping up partnerships
Wine gathering a
sparkling success
12 What'sNewS Issue 7* July 1999 I
Rabobank International (RI) head of
fice was pleased to receive visitors
from Beijing Enterprises Holdings Etd.
(BE), early May. A key 'red-chip' cliënt of
Hong Kong branch, the company is a
listed conglomerate, owning Yanjing, the
largest brewery in China in terms of sales,
and they plan to enter the biotech indus-
try as well. The visit presented a valuable
opportunity to exchange information on
both our core sectors of food and
agribusiness (F&A) and health care. Rep-
resentatives of Beijing Enterprises ex-
pressed appreciation at being the first
cliënt to meet our CEO Maarten Hulshoff.
Also on the agenda were presentations
from Shawn Leiand from health care and
Alain Cracau of F&A. Clearly a relation-
ship with mutual benefits, the company is
an important partner for RI in the region
due to its strong financial strength in spite
of the recent Asian economie crisis, and RI
serves as a core house bank. As Alex Che-
Financial departments within Rabobank
International (RI) Netherlands branch
are climbing mountains with their clients -
on bicycles, that is to say. Some 15 rela-
tionship managers and product specialists
from RI's treasury, credits and loans divi-
sions treated 38 selected clients to a cy-
cling tour. After enjoying a relaxing lunch
together, it was time to get to work. Par-
ricipants donned Rabobank cycling suits
ung, general manager of Hong Kong
branch puts it, 'BE is one of our key Chi
nese corporate customers, and the net-
work has been working as a team to pro
vide expertise and core products for
ongoing creation of customer value'.
From left to right: Shawn Leiand, RI health care
advisor; Bai Jin Rong, BE executive director and
VP; Hu Zhao Guang, BE chairman; Maarten
Hulshoff, RI CEO; Guo Ying Ming, BE vice
chairman and president; Fang Fang, BE vice
president
Wine producers from around the
world came together in Bordeaux,
France in what is considered the most
important trade fair in the business,
VINEXPO, mid-June. Relationship
managers and product specialists from RI
capitalized on the opportunity for
networking by organizing several events
including a cliënt dinner in a chateau,
special industry seminar, and an internal
market core team meeting as well. 'The
team meeting was significant in that our
people from so many regions were able to
share ideas about potential
new products and experiences
fll concerning deal structures -
information which might apply
in other markets as well,' says
Participants of the Client's Day bike tour suit up
and were provided with bikes and helmets
for the rigorous tour around Arnhem in
the east of the Netherlands. The trip was
led in three separate groups by famous re-
tired professional cyclists Henny Kuiper,
Eric Breukink and Rob Lammertink; for-
mer members of the Rabobank
cycling team, still active in pro-
motional activities for the
bank. No smooth ride, the
course involved some steep
climbs before cyclists earned a coffee
break on a terrace overlooking the Rhine
river. Even the Dutch weather entered the
theme of cooperation. Following the tour,
participants shared their aches and pains
over drinks and recovered with a high-car-
bohydrate cyclist's dinner. 'The response
from clients who participated was excel-
Philippe Charbonnier, Paris-based
account manager and meeting organizer.
RI's half-day seminar gave the floor to the
customer. Claims Arend Heijbroek, co-
author of the latest EAR study, The World
Wine Business which was presented to
participants, 'we wanted to hear from
industry leaders, and demonstrate our
depth of commitment in this sector to our
broad customer base.
In fact the editor of trade magazine Wine
and Spirits remarked to me, "you must be
doing something right in the industry if
you are able to bring such top speakers to
the stage'". Key topics discussed were 4
changing demand at the retail level,
branding in the 'new wine' markets of
Australia and the US, European markets
as remaining too supply-driven, and the
impact of EL) wine policies on the industry.
The World Wine Business can be ordered
through Wil van der Tuuk by fax on
+31 30 216 1976 or by email.
lent, and RI staff enjoyed themselves as
well.' says Ben Huiskamp, senior relation
ship manager and co-organizer of Client's
Day. 'The event proved to be an excellent
team-building experience, one which re-
ally strengthened cliënt relationships.
Non-participants followed the experience
closely through colleagues so we know
these activities draw the desired attention.'
The day was also made possible through
the enthusiastic support and promotion of
Len Steffen, RI Netherlands branch board
member and avid cycler himself.
