Kempen & Co

Kempen & Co is a Dutch merchant bank providing financial services in asset management, securities broking, and corporate finance. Clients include institutional investors, companies, financial institutions, (semi)public institutions, foundations, and high-net-worth individuals. It has been part of Dutch private bank Van Lanschot since 2007.[1]

Kempen & Co N.V.
private
IndustryInvestment Banking
Founded1903 (1903)
HeadquartersAmsterdam,
Netherlands
Products
Number of employees
500
ParentVan Lanschot
Websitewww.kempen.com

History

Kempen & Co was established in 1903 in Amsterdam by Arines Johannes Kempen with his companion Martinus Dirk de Lange as an independent stockbroker. The commodities exchange, the Beurs van Berlage had opened only a month before, and it was this exchange that was used by Kempen & Co for its trading. The company began by specialising in the trade of listed companies that operated in the Dutch East Indies.

In 1952 Piet Harms, who had been with the firm since 1936, is promoted to co-head of the firm. After the departure of De Lange jr in 1968, Harms continues as sole head of the firm and is responsible for a period of significant growth. The customers at this time were mainly private investors.

In 1972 the bank was sold to the British bank Slater Walker and then became the British bank's international division. After problems at Slater Walker two years later, the bank was sold to the Belgium firm Peterbroeck, Van Campenhout & Cie (Petercam N.V.). The bank continued to grow and got an exchange listing in 1983. The bank had by then built a strong reputation in investment banking, and in 1993 Joop Krant was made managing director. He directed the bank to European expansion with a focus on research and corporate finance activities.

Under ownership of Dexia

In 2001 the company was purchased by Belgian bank Dexia and delisted from the exchange. Dexia's ambition was to use Kempen & Co as its base for developing a strong presence in securities and capital markets in Europe. It was merged with Bank Labouchere which Dexia had acquired earlier. This gave the combined bank 1,250 employees. However, due to the differences in culture between the two banks and the Labourcher share-affair, the merger was quickly undone and by 2003 Kempen & Co was operating as an independent entity again within the Dexia group. A year later Kempen & Co becomes a separate company again after a management buyout of the company with the support of HAL Investments, Friesland Bank and NPM Capital.

Acquisition by Van Lanschot

In 2007 Dutch investment bank Van Lanschot acquired the company for €300 million which saw the end of the independent Kempen & Co.[2] HAL investments was also a major investor in Van Lanschot, and so helped arrange the deal in which it made approx €46 million. Van Lanschot continued to use the Kempen & Co name but integrated the securities and asset management business into its own operations.

Kempen & Co is a subsidiary of F. Van Lanschot Bankiers N.V. (Van Lanschot). As banks, Van Lanschot and Kempen & Co are subject to the supervision of De Nederlandsche Bank and have been issued licenses on the basis of Article 2.11 of the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wft). Van Lanschot and Kempen & Co are also registered as financial institutions with the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) in Amsterdam.

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References
  1. "Van Lanschot and Kempen reach an accord and sign purchase agreement". Cws.huginonline.com. Retrieved 2014-06-24.
  2. "Van Lanschot koopt zakenbank Kempen". NRC Handelsblad. 8 September 2006. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
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