Leading agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank has appointed Mark Harris as area manager covering Orange and Forbes.
Announcing the appointment, regional manager for central New South Wales Toby Mendl said Mr Harris brought extensive farming and finance experience to the role.
“Mark has clocked up an impressive career as a specialist rural lender spanning 14 years, which has seen him cover a range of commodities across many regions from Singleton up to Ayr in North Queensland,” he said.
“Mark is also no stranger to the local area having grown up on his family’s sheep and cattle farming operation between Orange and Molong, and he has worked for the past number of years as a regional banker to farmers in the area.”
Mr Harris – who moved back to the family farm three years ago – said it was Rabobank’s global cooperative structure and local focus that drew him to the role.
“To work for an organisation that specialises in agriculture means not only do our clients have access to expert research and analysis tailored to their sector, but it also means the bank can take a long-term view as it intimately understands agricultural cycles,” he said.
“I find our farmers also benefit from Rabobank’s international ties and its ability to take learnings from global markets and leverage that information locally with clients.”
Mr Harris - who will work out of both the Orange and Forbes branches – said the progressive nature of local producers stood them in good stead for what was expected to be a bumper season.
“The farmers in this area are always looking to improve their operations both on and off-farm and it’s this drive to improve that makes it a great region to work in,” he said.
“We’ve had a very positive season year-to-date and with production levels looking good and commodity prices at high levels, the investments clients have made in the past few years should be rewarded in the season ahead.”
To contact Mark Harris directly, please call 0460 410 655. For Rabobank Orange contact 02 6363 5900 and for Rabobank Forbes contact 02 6850 8100.
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is a part of the international Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has more than 115 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 38 countries, servicing the needs of approximately 8.6 million clients worldwide through a network of more than 1000 offices and branches. Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is one of Australasia’s leading rural lenders and a significant provider of business and corporate banking and financial services to the region’s food and agribusiness sector. The bank has 94 branches throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Denise Shaw
Media Relations
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand
Phone: 02 8115 2744 or 0439 603 525
Email: denise.shaw@rabobank.com
Skye Ward
Media Relations
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand
Phone: 02 4855 1111 or 0418 216 103
Email: skye.ward@rabobank.com