ABN Amro

2020: Investing in Penta fintech startup

On July 7, 2020, Penta announced the attraction of more than 4 million euros in investments. The deal, among other investors, was attended by Leonid Boguslavsky's RTP Soundand S7 Group venture fund S7V. In addition, ABN Amro Ventures, VR-Ventures, HV Holtzbrinck Ventures, Presentation Capital and others invested in the project. More details here.

2019: Investigation of the participation of banks in money laundering from Russia

On September 26, 2019, ABN Amro shares collapsed by more than 10% due to the start of an investigation in Holland about the participation of banks in money laundering from Russia. The authorities suspect that the bank has not conducted a proper audit of its customers for several years and face fines.

XVIII century: Business in the slave trade and plantation slavery

Bank ABN Amro, one of the largest in the Netherlands, in April 2022 apologized for the slavery-related past. According to a report commissioned by the bank itself, the slave trade played an important role in the history of ABN Amro.

The study focused on Hope & Co and Mees & Zoonen, the forerunners of ABN Amro, operating in the 18th century. Both of them were involved in the slave trade, plantation slavery and trade in products made by enslaved people.

So, Hope & Co was a major financial player and one of the most important elements of the slave-owning economy of the Caribbean. According to experts, a third of the company's profits were derived from slavery-related activities. In turn, Mees & Zoonen was an insurance broker for ships that, in particular, transported slaves. Insurance for slaves was issued not as people, but as goods.

The bank itself said that they "sincerely regret their historical involvement in slavery."