Abstract
D.Litt.et Phil.
When the Second World War came to an end the Chief Agent of the
Nederlandsche Bank voor Zuid-Afrika, realized that the future of the
bank's operations in South Africa lay in the formation of a South
African banking company. In the Netherlands one of the Directeuren,
J. Keuning, gave his support to the idea, but the Raad van
Commissarisse (Board of Directors) of the bank in Amsterdam was
reluctant to allow such a move without prior confirmation that the
parent company in Amsterdam would retain full control. The bank in
Amsterdam had to revive its activities after it had been forced to
cease all transactions from the Netherlands during the war. The
South Africa and London offices of the bank continued their
operations under the watchful eye of a Controller, J. Dommisse,
appointed in South Africa. Further consolidation and expansion of
the business of the bank, both in Amsterdam and South Africa,
neccessitated further capital. When war broke out the Netherlands
economy was unable to provide the necessary capital and Kakebeeke,
the Chief Agent in South Africa, urged the formation of a South
African company in order to enable the bank to secure working capital
in South Africa.
The Board in Amsterdam finally decided, in principle, in 1946 to
establish a subsidiary company in South Africa and to incorporate the
London office with the new South African bank. After a lengthy
selection period, the Board in Amsterdam decided on members for the
South African Board, making Kakebeeke the Managing Director of the
new bank to enable him to act as Chairman of the local Board ...