In 1982, he became head of the Dutch central bank, a post he held for 15 years.

With total assets of about $500 billion, the Dutch bank is now in the same league as Germany's biggest institutions.

The sort of work one sold to committees sent round by the boards of Dutch commercial banks.

The Dutch bank also used the word "alliance" to describe its purchase, though it will have a dominant position and control management.

His tenure at the Dutch central bank was marked by caution and reserve.

Dutch and Italian banks cut their prime lending rates.

The large Dutch bank doubled its provisions to cover potential losses from bad loans to 308 million euros in the period.

Dutch and other banks and pension funds are guilty of this.

It gained in European trading after the Dutch central bank left a key interest rate unchanged.

Dutch banks at this time still held much of the world's capital.