15 Decemer 2008
Specialist agribusiness lender, Rabobank, has today announced that it has grown its team of finance managers in Te Puke, demonstrating the bank’s ongoing commitment to supporting local clients in the Bay of Plenty.
Peter Gunn and Richard Candy join the team in Te Puke, bringing with them a wealth of experience in the rural banking sector, with expertise in areas such as farm management, rural land valuation and agricultural commerce.
Rabobank Te Puke branch manager, Allan Fleming, says that he is delighted to welcome Peter and Richard on board and is proud to offer local clients such a high level of knowledge and expertise.
“I am sure that both Peter and Richard will enhance the team we have here in Te Puke. With branch employee numbers now increasing to nine the bank is well placed to serve the region’s farmers in the future,” he said.
Peter Gunn joined Rabobank in November bringing with him over 30 years experience in the rural banking sector. Raised on a Northland beef and dairy farm Peter graduated from Massey University in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in Farm Management and Rural Land Valuation. Peter has undertaken a number of roles in his professional career including working overseas diversifying his agribusiness skills in countries such as Papua New Guinea and Bhutan.
Recently, Peter spent 14 years working in the Bank of New Zealand’s (BNZ) agribusiness division in the Hauraki/Coromandel and wider Bay of Plenty area.
Peter is thrilled to have been given the opportunity to join Rabobank and is looking forward to making use of his local knowledge and specialist financial skills to assist the region’s farming community.
Richard Candy joined Rabobank in mid 2008 and has a strong background in the agricultural sector. Richard graduated from Lincoln University in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Commerce and since then has built up considerable practical farming experience having worked on dairy, sheep and beef and cropping farms throughout New Zealand. Richard also has extensive experience in the area of farming finance having spent three years with the BNZ Dunedin branch as an agribusiness manager.
In his short time with Rabobank, Richard has quickly developed strong relationships with the bank’s key stakeholders and is enjoying using his theoretical and practical knowledge to assist the bank’s client base and to seek out new business opportunities.
Richard operates primarily in the Te Puke to Waihi area and has a portfolio containing dairy, sheep and beef, kiwifruit, avocado and dry stock clients.
“Peter and Richard are ‘typical’ Rabobank employees,” Rabobank Te Puke branch manager Allan Fleming said.
“The bank employs people who know and understand agriculture, combining local sector knowledge with a strong appreciation of the global marketplace to provide the highest quality of service to our clients.
“Taking on new staff demonstrates Rabobank’s confidence in New Zealand agriculture and commitment to our client base. The Te Puke branch is now better equipped than ever to assist existing and new clients with their business development plans,” he said.
Rabobank New Zealand is a part of the international Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has more than 110 years’ experience providing customised banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness. Rabobank is structured as a cooperative and operates in 43 countries, servicing the needs of more than nine million clients worldwide through a network of more than 1600 offices and branches. Rabobank New Zealand is one of the country's leading rural lenders and a significant provider of business and corporate banking and financial services to the New Zealand food and agribusiness sector. The bank has 29 branches throughout New Zealand.
For further information please contact David Johnston, Marketing Assistant (Tel: +64 4 819 2711) or please email david.johnston@rabobank.com.