Rabobank New Zealand
CEO Todd Charteris.
Rabobank New Zealand’s new head office in Hamilton — the Rabobank Centre — opened its doors at the end of last year and the bank’s employees have settled into their new office space in Union Square at the south-end of the city’s CBD.
Home to around 80 Rabobank New Zealand employees, the move saw 50 head office staff make the shift north from Wellington to join the Waikato regional team, who had previously been based in the bank’s Hamilton office on London Street.
Rabobank New Zealand CEO Todd Charteris says the relocation to Hamilton follows the bank’s decision in late 2019 to move its head office from Wellington to support its growth strategy into the future as the country’s only specialist food and agribusiness bank.
“We are New Zealand’s only totally focused food and agri bank. Coming to a place like the Waikato is just such a great strategic fit, because obviously, it’s a real hub for food and agri tech, a massive food producing region, and its proximity to the likes of Auckland, but also the Bay of Plenty.
“The new Rabobank Centre will be a place where our employees, farmers and community leaders can come together to share ideas to further advance the industry and to help the bank’s clients achieve their goals.”
Originally from South Otago, Charteris has been with Rabobank for 22 years, including a stint in Australia before moving back to New Zealand to take on the CEO role.
You could say farming is in his blood with dairy farmers on his mother’s side and a stock agent father, he grew up on smaller farms.
“All my school and university holidays were spent working on farms or shearing.”
Along with the majority of the bank’s head office employees, Charteris happily made the move to the Waikato.
“The people that have moved here are certainly enjoying it, they’re enjoying the lifestyle, there’s a lot more space, and the weather is just way better.”
Charteris says Rabobank’s move to Hamilton kickstarts a growth opportunity for the business.
“Part of the reason coming here is a long-term commitment and we want to continue to grow. We’re really looking forward to supporting our clients but also to take the opportunity to support new lending opportunities with some of the country’s top food and agri business operations.”
Rabobank interior
Whilst there are huge uncertainties for businesses worldwide due to Covid, Charteris says, New Zealand’s food and agri sector is buoyed by some exciting global opportunities.
“There’s some challenges and we’re working closely with our clients to help them through some of those challenges. We’ll spend quite a bit of time looking to engage with policymakers and politicians, to maximise the opportunity, because whilst there’s some challenges, there’s some great opportunities and we really want to grasp those along with our clients.
“What Covid has reminded us of is the economic strength of the New Zealand’s agri sector and primary production.”
Alongside this ever-changing global situation, Charteris says, the food and agri sector is taking its environmental responsibilities seriously and meeting head on some of the market expectations.
“There’s some great examples where people are dealing with the environmental challenges and we have to continue to learn from each other, and to look for new and innovative ideas to address those challenges.”
Charteris says the move to the Waikato is a big reflection on who they are and what they stand for. “It’s about helping us embed a mindset across our business centred on getting closer to our clients, regardless of where we work across New Zealand, so we can make even better and more effective decisions for them.
“The bank already has a strong ties with the community in the Waikato, and with more of our team now based here, we’re looking forward to further strengthening our links with the region’s farming and business community in the years ahead.”
He says the bank’s commitment to its clients and the wider agricultural sector was a key consideration in the new office fitout.
“We wanted some of the very best materials. And we wanted to support the New Zealand wool industry. So, we sourced wool from three clients around the country — the Chrystalls from Taihape, the Sutherlands from South Otago and the Olivers from the King Country — to produce carpet for the new office.”
Occupying the top two levels of the five-level Union Square Building with the lower levels occupied by other financial services providers.
“Union Square combines retail, office and lifestyle space and will eventually include several cafes and restaurants, a wellness centre, end-of-trip facilities and a parking complex. It’s also located close to Hamilton’s central transportation hub which gives our employees plenty of options for their commute to and from work,” he says.
The office combines spaces for focused individual work through to collaborative team work and formal presentations.
The new centre was blessed by local hapu at a short ceremony held at the end of last year and an official opening event is now being planned for later in 2022.
“This will be attended by a range of clients, industry, business, government and community leaders, along with service providers who have helped bring the new centre to fruition,” Charteris says.
