“Blake’s appointment will allow us to place increased focus on these existing sustainability initiatives and ensure we’re effectively advocating for our clients and providing them with meaningful information that helps guide their business decisions.”
In addition, Mr Charteris said Mr Holgate would play a pivotal role in Rabobank’s efforts to develop additional products and services aimed at helping clients businesses be more commercially and environmentally sustainable.
“We expect to see the market for sustainable finance — finance specifically used for activities which produce a verifiable positive impact on the environment or society — to grow strongly over coming years and Blake will play a lead role in identifying new opportunities for the bank and our clients in this area,” he said.
“He’ll also work closely with KiwiHarvest — our new national food rescue charity partner — to help address food waste issues within New Zealand’s food and agribusiness supply chain.”
Mr Charteris said, as part of the new role, Mr Holgate would join a wider global sustainability team with members located across the Rabobank network.
“As a global food and agribusiness banking specialist, Rabobank has partners and clients at every step in the global food and agribusiness supply chain and is committed to working with participants across the agricultural industry to facilitate a sustainable food system,” he said.
“In his new position, Blake will liaise regularly with other regional sustainability leads around the world to share knowledge and to contribute ideas linked to the bank’s four key sustainability focus areas: protecting land and water resources, creating a low-greenhouse gas emissions economy, reducing food waste and loss and increasing digitalisation across the food system.”
Mr Holgate said he was excited to move into the new role.
“The pressure facing New Zealand food producers from both consumers and regulators is creating significant challenges, but the strength of New Zealand farmers and growers has always been their ability to turn challenges like these into opportunities,” he said.
“It’s exciting to be moving into a position where I get to work with clients and an industry focused on delivering practices and innovations that will further strengthen New Zealand’s global reputation as efficient producers of high quality, sustainable food products.”
Mr Holgate holds a MBA from Otago University and prior to joining Rabobank, practised as an environmental lawyer.
Rabobank New Zealand is a part of the global Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has nearly 120 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 40 countries, servicing the needs of about 8.6 million clients worldwide through a network of close to 1000 offices and branches. Rabobank New Zealand is one of the country's leading agricultural lenders and a significant provider of business and corporate banking and financial services to the New Zealand food and agribusiness sector. The bank has 32 branches throughout New Zealand.
Media contacts:
David Johnston
Marketing & Media Relations Manager
Rabobank New Zealand
Phone: 04 819 2711 or 027 477 8153
Email: david.johnston@rabobank.com
Denise Shaw
Head of Media Relations
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand
Phone: +612 8115 2744 or +61 2 439 603 525
Email: denise.shaw@rabobank.com
