Wholesale banking
In order to reach the top as a wholesale bank for the food & agri business, Rabobank International will strengthen its position further among the large players in this sector in the years ahead. The global product groups comprise Global Financial Markets, Leveraged Finance and Structured Finance. Rabobank International has a global network in almost thirty countries, with hundreds of branches abroad. The international branch network will focus its wholesale banking activities both on the international food & agri clients and on Dutch wholesale clients. The geographical focus of the wholesale banking activities is on Europe and on the countries where Rabobank International has retail banking operations.
Intensified collaboration with other Group entities should result in additional growth of these activities in years to come.
International retail banking
In growing its international retail banking business further, Rabobank Group focuses on food & agri. This involves services to the agricultural sector as well as to small and medium-sized enterprises and private individuals in rural areas in selected countries. Going forward, the international retail banking activities will be making a greater contribution to Rabobank International's net profit.
For the expansion of its international retail banking network, Rabobank International focuses on three growth markets, with its prime focus on traditionally agricultural countries with a stable political climate and a structurally attractive agricultural sector, such as the United States and Australia. Rabobank International also focuses on countries in Central and Eastern Europe that have a growing agricultural sector, such as Poland. Then the fast-growing emerging countries follow with a large agricultural sector, such as Brazil, Chile, China, India and Indonesia. Most projects in these countries are on a smaller scale, and are of relatively minor financial significance.
In 2002, Rabobank International started its Direct Banking activities in Belgium. In the years following, Internet banks were opened abroad: in Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. These banks are currently in their start-up phase.