Acquisition

RNS Number:3861B
Robeco NV
19 September 2002


                   ROBECO TAKES 60% STAKE IN BOSTON PARTNERS 
                              TO FORM ROBECO USA           


Robeco has acquired a 60% participating interest in Boston Partners Asset
Management. Together with Weiss, Peck, and Greer (WPG) and Sage Capital
Management, which was acquired earlier this year, Boston Partners will form
Robeco USA. This transaction allows Robeco to offer a complete range of products
for the US institutional market. The companies' institutional sales activities
and customer relationship management will be integrated in the short-term. With
this participating interest Robeco has successfully completed its acquisition
strategy for the US institutional market.

Nassos Michas will be appointed CEO of Robeco USA, a position which he is
already holding at WPG. Mike Jones of Boston Partners will head the integrated
sales activities. To ensure the continuity of services to clients and
consultants, investment styles and processes will remain unchanged and each
company will remain responsible for its current investments and clients.
Supporting activities will be integrated to the extent possible to realize
synergy benefits and cost reductions.

The product range of Robeco USA will consist of growth and value equity
investments, fixed-income investments and alternatives (such as hedge funds,
funds of hedge funds, private equity and venture capital investments). WPG
specializes in growth equities, fixed-income instruments, private equity,
venture capital and hedge funds, Sage in funds of hedge funds and Boston
Partners in value equities and fixed-income instruments. Robeco USA's assets
under management amount to approximately EUR 30 billion, some 30% of Robeco's
total assets under management.

Robeco's product range for institutional clients will also be expanded at a
global level as a result of these recent acquisitions. Robeco Alternative
Investments (RAI) in Rotterdam and Sage will cooperate closely in selecting
managers for Robeco's global funds of hedge funds. 
Boston Partners's US value products will also be offered to clients outside the 
US in the near future. Robeco Asset Management (RAM) in Rotterdam is working 
with Boston Partners on a global value equity product for the European market. 

Boston Partners was established in 1995 and has USD 9 billion in assets under
management, of which 85% in equities investments and 15% in fixed-income
investments. Its funds invest exclusively in value securities of US companies.
The investment products have outperformed their benchmarks from their
introduction. Like Robeco, Boston Partners invests according to a proprietary
disciplined investment style, based on a bottom-up selection process,
quantitative analysis and fundamental research. This way it assesses no less
than 500 large caps. The company has 90 employees, 35 of which own the company.


Product range 
Product                 Morningstar rating
Large Cap value         4 
Premium Equity          4 
Fixed Income            4 
Mid Cap value           4 
Small Cap Value         5 
Small Cap Value II      5 
Balanced                4


About Robeco

Robeco provides discretionary asset management products and services, as well as
a complete range of mutual funds to a large number of institutional and retail
clients worldwide. Robeco's product range encompasses domestic and international
fixed-income and equity investments (including global, regional, sector,
country-specific, and emerging markets), as well as balanced accounts, money-
market funds and alternative investments. 
Robeco distributes its funds for the retail market directly, and through other 
financial institutions. Several of its mutual funds, including the flagship 
Robeco, are listed on major European Stock exchanges such as Amsterdam, Paris, 
Frankfurt and London.

As well as from its headquarters in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Robeco services
clients from its European offices in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland,
Germany and Spain, and its US offices in New York, Chicago and San Francisco
(Weiss, Peck & Greer), Boston (Boston Partners), White Plains (Sage Capital
Management), and Toledo (Harbor Capital Advisors).                              
                
Robeco is the center for asset management with full operational independence
within the Rabobank Group. Rabobank has the highest credit ratings from the
major rating agencies.


Ronald Florisson, Corporate Communications Robeco 
[phone] 
[phone] 
[e-mail]



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