M&A DEAL
BANK IN CHINA
4
lts a perfectplay on
our cliënt coverage
model and exactly
where we want
to goJ
them to the table quickly. "And luckily
there was immediate chemistry between
the two companies. They understood our
rationale for bringing them together, so
we were able to position Bright Dairy to
acquire Synlait ahead of some very stiff
competition," Colombo says. The fact
that Shanghai is currently hosting the
2010 World Expo was also favourable, as
it made it possible for New Zealand Prime
Minister John Key to meet the chairman
of Bright Dairy in the presence of Orlando
Wang, reinforcing the company's
welcome in New Zealand.
Rabobank's main participants in the
deal agree that this transaction will be a
major boost to Rabobank's repositioning
in China, which is a highly competitive
M&A market. Rabobank has so far been
seen primarily as a lending bank, but this
clearly demonstrates its cross-border
advisory and financing strengths to
Chinese F&A companies. "It's a perfect
play on our cliënt coverage model and
exactly where we want to go. It really
accelerates our repositioning, not just in
China but the whole of Asia. It's a major
step forward for the franchise," Sujan says.
ISSUE 25 01
RI WORLD
