INSPIRING
VIEWS
F&A Dinner
in Rockefeller
Center
Horticultural sector
requiresaction
What? 7^ Annual F&A
Client Dinner
When?8 December 2008
WhereRockefeller Center,
New York City, USA
What? Seminar Inspiring Views
When? 30 October 2008
Where?Grand hotel Huis ter Duin,
Noordwijk aan Zee, the Netherlands
WhatHorticulture Industry Conference
When' 23 October 2008
WAmYDuisenberg Auditorium,
Rabobank International Utrecht,
the Netherlands
Rabobank's North American Corporate
Bank held its 7th annual Food and
Agribusiness Dinner on 8 December
2008, at New York's famous Rainbow
Room in Rockefeller Center. The event
was attended by 350 clients and
Rabobankers from across the North
American F&A industry.The evening
featured Pulitzer Prize-winning
journalist and television commentator
George Will as the keynote speaker.
Bob Bucklin, Chief Corporate Banking
Officer in North America, began the
annual dinners in 2002 as a way of
expressing appreciation to the bank's
corporate F&A customers and to
provide a venue for strengthening
cliënt relationships with Rabobank
Relationship Managers, FAR analysts
and other key staff.
The dinner has grown in attendance
every year and continues to be highly
popular with clients, who enjoy the
opportunity to hear from senior
management about the "state of the
bank," Rabobank's perspective for
the coming year, and to network with
other leaders in the F&A industry.
For the third year in a row, Rabobank
invited business associates to attend
the seminar Inspiring Views, where the
bank's research department presented
its future vision: Macro Economie
Outlook 2009.
Where do the greatest financial
risks for the world economy lie? Did
policymakers do enough to prevent
the current situation? Elwin de Groot,
of GFM Financial Markets Research:
'The adaptation process in the
financial sector will be long and
painful. Inflation will drop, but a
deflation scenario is still unlikely. The
worldwide recession could be one of
the deepest recessions in the postwar
period, but is not a depression."
During the seminar, issues such
as inflation and hybrid hedging
were discussed, as well as current
developments in food and raw
materials prices.
Special attention was also given to
international trendwatcher Adjiedj
Bakas who presented his recently
published book "The Future of
Finance," written with co-author
Roger Peverelli.
During a recently held conference, organised
by Rabobank and the Netherlands Association
of Wholesale Trade in Horticultural Products,
Rabobank presented its most recent vision to
representatives from the horticulture trade
based on its newest report: 'It's the turn of
trade - Dynamics in the horticultural chain
require action'.
The European horticultural trade is set for
major changes. Flowers and plants are being
purchased on an increasingly international scale
and retail businesses are demanding more from
theirsuppliers.
Now, more than ever, wholesalers and central
marketplaces will have to demonstrate their
added value. The entire horticulture chain is
feeling the effects of a strong euro and rising
energy prices. Mergers and acquisitions are
increasing, new partnerships are being created,
and cross-border investments are happening
morefrequently.
'The wholesaler must choose: stand out in
terms of efficiency or set itself apart from the
competition," Senior Food and Agribusiness
analyst Cindy van Rijswick said. 'The stars will
have to profït from the masses. Lean and mean
operations are crucial; risk management is a
priority. Unique businesses will have to focus on
specific segments, and convince consumers to
purchase."
ISSUE 18
THE WORD
