1**1
Q&A
RAF
ATTENDS 'SUPERBOWL
OF AGRICULTURE'
Rectifïcations Rl World #24
July edition
The Netherlands
Americas
RIIN
Director ofCorporate Clients
Q jjo is Frtd U ecnig?
Q
Fred Weenig was recently appointed Director of Corporate Clients
Netherlands, following a number of years as Head of Special Asset
Management for the Rabobank Group.
A 'Tm 49 years old, married with one child. I studied naval architecture at
Delft University. However, like many, I discovered during my course that
I wasn't destined to specialise in my chosen field of study. As a result,
I included a business option in my degree programme and, following my
military service, decided that I wanted to become a commercial management
trainee. This led to a job with the AMRO Bank in the Netherlands, which sent
me to a local branch as Head of SMEs. This taught me the essence of banking.
I then moved to large corporates, in what was by this time ABN AMRO. After a
number of enjoyable career moves, I was approached by Rabobank in 2004,
who asked me to move to their special asset management department,
and in 2005 I became Head of SAM for the group."
A "I would probably take a slightly different angle to this question. I think
there's another element within the Dutch market that will have a greater in-
fluence than Basel III on the corporate clients' landscape. There are currently
five banks within the Netherlands that want to make their mark on the
market. Rabobank, ING (which is trimming down their overseas branches, so
will undoubtedly re-focus on the Dutch market), ABN AMRO (which is in a
similar position to ING), Deutsche Bank, and BNP Paribas, who have purchased
the assets of what was Fortis in Belgium and have indicated that they want
to enter the Dutch market. I believe that the increased competition will be a
greater driver towards where the money goes, the clients go, and ultimately
how the margins are impacted. However, I do think Basel III will make us
consider our credit choices more carefully, based on solvency requirements.
This implies that cross sell into non-solvency products will become even more
important. Secondly, the liability side of our balance sheet (financial logistics,
current accounts, deposits) will gain importance: alternative funding sources
are more relevant than in the past."
Rabo AgriFinance (RAF) once again greeted visitors from
around the globe to 'Farm Progress', the leading farm show
in the United States, which is colloquially known as the 'Super
Bowl of Agriculture'. Around 300,000 visitors from 50 countries
visit the show annually to view agriculture's latest product
introductions, meet face-to-face with agribusiness profes
sionals, visit the stands of around 500 exhibitors, and gain
hands-on knowledge.
In addition to RAF's booth, Food Agribusiness Research and
Advisory (FAR) analyst Sterling Liddell gave daily presentations
on the impact India, China, Russia and Brazil are having on
the grains and oilseeds markets. Between presentations,
Dow Jones, Agri Talk radio, Successful Farming magazine,
and a Farm Progress television programme interviewed
Liddell. RAF will return to the Farm Progress show in 2011,
which will be held in Decatur, Illinois.
Please note the following rectifïcations regarding the Rl World July 2010 edition:
1 In the Sector Special box on the Global sector focus on page 23 it is stated that
the Global Sector Heads will report to the Global Head of Wholesale Clients,
Lex Kloosterman. However, they will report to the Global Head of F&A Coverage,
Gilles Boumeester.
2 In the Region Special on page 33 we refer to Jacqueline Pieters as Global Sector
Head Diary, whereas Mrs. Pieters' actual title is Global Sector Head of Dairy.
3 In the HR announcements on page 42 the WCI Regional Sector Heads are referred
to twice.The second referral to this group should be WCI Regional LPG Heads.
4 In the Support section of the HR Announcements on page 43 it is stated that
Victor Cuyckens (whose name was miss-spelled in Cuijckens) and Anton Rutten
report to respectively Rene Steenhart and Harry de Roo. However, Victor Cuyckens
and Anton Rutten both report to Ralf Dekker, Chief Operating Officer Rabobank
International.
We apologise for any confusion that may have occurred.
Editorial Team Rl World
ISSUE 25 OCTOBER 2010 Rl WORLD
