Bank Mendes Gans

Bank Mendes Gans is a worldwide renowned niche player in the area of liquidity and information management for large multinationals. The company is one of the most important cash management specialists in the world. BMG's core activity is cash management (netting[3]).

Bank Mendes Gans has about 250 clients, half of them in the USA.[4] McDonald's is a client of the bank,[5] as well as China International Marine Containers.[6]

At the time the Amsterdam born Julius Gans founded his brokerage firm Gans & Co. in 1883, he mainly traded in foreign stock, drafts and coupons. Six years later, on May 23, 1889, Isaak Mendes (from Jewish Portuguese descent) joined the firm as his partner. Consequently, the name of the brokerage firm changed to Mendes Gans & Co.

In 1911 Mendes Gans & Co. changed into a licensed bank (under supervision of, and licensed by, the Dutch Central Bank "De Nederlandsche Bank"). In those days the company was mainly involved in managing the investment portfolio of wealthy Dutch individuals.

After World War I, the bank relocated to Herengracht 619, a stately residence built in 1667 by order of Jan Six (1618), former mayor of Amsterdam. The building is designed by architect Adriaan Dortsman. The bank is still located at these premises.

With guidance of the American company and shareholder Dow Chemical, Mendes Gans focused on cash management in the sixties.[6] This consequently, after divesting the brokerage business (to ING), led to the further specialization as a cash management bank.

As result of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, Isaak Mendes fled during the hectic 'May days' of 1940 to the south of France, where he died in poverty at the age of 70 before the war ended. Partner and co-founder Julius Gans died in 1928 at the age of 65.

ING Bank N.V. gradually purchased 99% of the BMG shares from main shareholders Philips Finance Company, Manufacturers Hanover Trust (currently JP Morgan Chase) and Dow Chemical. Early 2000, the decision was made to de-list Bank Mendes Gans N.V. from the Amsterdam Stock Exchange (AEX-Effectenbeurs/Euronext Amsterdam) on February 1, 2000. By ending the quotation, the Amsterdam Stock Exchange did not only lose one of its most expensive funds (the shares were valued in excess of 20,000 Dutch Guilders - over 9,000 euros), but also one of its oldest.

With its own Board of Management, Supervisory Board, banking license and annual report, BMG is an independently operating business unit of ING Commercial Banking.