Employee story | Landy Ma’s journey as a female banker in China

“When I started out, banking was a male-dominated field,” Landy shares. “But over the years, I’ve seen more women step into leadership roles, and I’m proud to be part of that change.” One of her most career-defining moments was closing a jumbo deal with one of China’s largest conglomerates—an achievement that cemented her credibility with clients and built confidence in her capabilities as a banker.

Beyond the professional milestones, Landy is also a proud mother of two boys, often balancing her work and home life with a precision honed over the years. “They’ve watched me grow my career and often tell me how proud they are of the work I do. I want them to know that hard work pays off and if you want to excel in any field – don’t let anyone tell you it’s impossible.”

Landy joined Rabobank in 2018, stepping into the food and agriculture (F&A) sector with limited knowledge about the industry. “It was a steep learning curve where I had to pivot quickly to develop and anchor my connections with clients in the F&A field,” she says. “But it’s been also the most rewarding, learning curve.”

What drives her is Rabobank’s mission to grow a better world together. “We’re not just about profits - we’re about impact. Whether it’s supporting farms or facilitating agri-tech innovation, our work helps build a more sustainable future for our F&A clients and the broader industry.”

Landy’s typical day is a blend of managing the Rabobank Shanghai branch while actively being involved in all client engagement activities – from structuring tailored financing deals to leading strategic engagement discussions, or conducting on-site operational reviews. “We don’t just sit in offices - we visit farms, factories, and production sites. This hands-on approach has been key to building lasting trust with our agri business partners.”

When traveling to see her clients, a typical day might include multiple site visits followed by strategy sessions to translate the observations into actionable financial solutions. Some of these visits are to places deep in rural China, with the team making their way there through hours on the road, travelling on various modes of transport: “This level of engagement builds trust and sets us apart.”

As a frontline representative, Landy sees firsthand what makes Rabobank unique. “We speak our clients’ language. We understand topics such as milk yield cycles, feed cost trends, and protein trade dynamics.”

“Clients trust us not just for our global reputation or the fact that we can provide financing, but for our ability to provide objective, cycle-tested advice that helps them navigate both expansions and downturns,” she says.

Clients value Rabobank not just for our financing products, but for our strong F&A and sustainability expertise. “We’re strategic partners, not just lenders.”

As Rabobank’s General Manager Shanghai, Landy’s leadership focuses on three key priorities:

1. Deepen Rabobank’s F&A expertise in key areas such as dairy industry upgrades, sustainable protein supply chains and agricultural technology innovation, localising Rabobank's global intellectual resources to provide Chinese clients with end-to-end financial solutions from farm to table.
2. Connecting China to global F&A markets: Facilitating cross-border opportunities for domestic and international clients.
3. Transform ESG into tangible commercial value for clients: Rabobank’s work in sustainable financing has garnered recognition on an international level. The core of this strategy lies in applying global wisdom to serve Chinese F&A players and using financial innovation to catalyse industry transformation.

We aim to not only be capital providers for our clients, but their worthy strategic partners through and through.

Asia, and China in particular, plays a pivotal role in global food systems. “Asia accounts for circa 50% of global food consumption, with China being the world’s largest importer of soybeans, meat and dairy; and a top exporter of processed vegetables, seafood and aquaculture products. China provides a vista of potential and business opportunities not only for domestic players, but also for global companies.”

With Asia now part of Rabobank’s Europe, Africa & Asia (EAA) region, Rabobank Europe's deep expertise in sustainable agriculture and optimising food value chains allows the bank to bridge Europe’s quality-driven food systems with Asia’s scale and dynamism. “This integration creates unparalleled value for clients navigating the future of food,” Landy explains.

Rabobank’s Greater China branches are a vital bridge in the bank’s global Wholesale & Rural business. It delivers value in three key ways:

1. Gateway to China's massive agri import demand and processed food exports: enable cross-border deal flows while helping our clients navigate geopolitical supply chain shifts
2. Innovation lab: adapting European sustainability models like ESG-linked loans for local use, while reverse-transferring China's digital agri tech solutions to global markets
3. Synergy engine: facilitating global-Asia trade corridors through structured solutions like export finance and value chain financing. This integrated approach makes Rabobank a pivotal partner for our clients. “We’re not just part of the system—we’re shaping it,” Landy concludes.