Peter Heenan
Credit Approvals Manager
- Mentor, coach, advisor and challenger to our rural managers
- It's an exciting journey assisting a lot of our farmers
- I love the fact that in a small way we are helping our clients to feed the world
What is your role here at Rabobank?
I am a mentor, coach, advisor and challenger to our rural managers who are out there looking after our clients.
I have been with Rabobank for 22 years. I joined Rabobank Townsville in 1995 as a rural manager looking after the wet tropics from Ingham, up to Cairns and across to the Atherton Tablelands. It was an exciting time, the business was growing and I was on the road at least a couple of days a week. I covered a mix of commodities from cane, horticulture and dairy. These were some of Australia's biggest fruit growers and is home to 85% of Australian banana production.
How do you help our clients?
Because I came from grass roots of working with clients on a daily basis, I understand their business, I understand farming in the wet and dry tropics and I understand about the challenges of floods and cyclones. It helps me do a better job for my clients.
One of my biggest highlights has been when the Gallagher family from Tully, who are still today large players in the banana production, became one of my valued clients. I was there in the beginning when the Gallaghers talked about the agility in which we put that deal together for them. At the time we knew they wanted things to move quickly, so I had that whole deal turned around in 3 days.
What makes Rabobank different for you?
I would not work anywhere else, Rabobank is different to other banks. We have our niche focus on agriculture, and that is our focus; not just here, but globally. You know you might deal with a solicitor, accountant or doctor once a year, but as they say you need a farmer three times a day. I love the fact that in a small way, we are helping our customers feed the world.