| Jan Kalff | ||||||
How could Jan Kalff keep from grinning? Announcing annual results for the last time before his retirement in May, the chairman of ABN Amro boasted that 1999 was the tenth consecutive year of profit growth for the bank, with an overall rise of 40.6%, the highest since the merger of the two Dutch banks in 1990. Kalff exuded pride as he discussed the future of the bank. "What we do is different from what other banks do. We are interested in a relationship business," says Kalff.
One thing ABN Amro has in common with almost every other bank is a new-found passion for the internet. ABN Amro plans to invest e1.8 billion in e-commerce ventures. By the end of this year, online brokerage services will be available in various European markets and Dutch customers will be able to benefit from internet banking.