Staalbankiers

Staalbankiers N.V. was a Dutch private bank founded in 1916 by Machiel Staal, who established himself as a securities broker in The Hague. The bank focused on serving the interests of individual clients, initially specializing in private loans and gradually expanding its services. In 1938, the firm Staal & Co was converted into a public limited company. Machiel Staal led the bank until his death in 1966. After his death, the bank came into the hands of Van Lanschot, and ten years later, in 1978, it was transferred to the retail group Vendex. Since 1994, Staalbankiers was part of Achmea, operating as a modern private banking organization. The bank had offices in The Hague (headquarters), Haarlem, Utrecht, Zwolle, Enschede, and Oosterbeek. In 2012, Pierre Huurman became chairman of the statutory board. In mid-2015, the majority of the mortgage portfolio, valued at over 1 billion euros, was transferred to Achmea Bank, also part of parent company Achmea. About ten employees also moved to Achmea Bank. After the transfer, the focus was on private banking activities. In 2016, the private banking activities of Staalbankiers were acquired by Van Lanschot. With this acquisition, Van Lanschot gained seven billion euros in assets under management, 280 million euros in savings, and a limited number of securities credits. A total of 25 employees from Staalbankiers transferred. Shortly afterwards, Van Lanschot dropped the Staalbankiers name. The remaining activities of Staalbankiers, including a mortgage portfolio of 250 million euros and 35 employees, remained with Achmea. The bank's headquarters was located in the building of Wijnhandel Maison Antonio Aguilar (a predecessor of Gall & Gall), built in 1906 in Wiener Secessionsstil on Lange Houtstraat in The Hague. The bank was involved in several controversies, including problems in the 1980s, client disadvantage in emissions in the 1990s, losses on uncontrolled option trading in 1998, illegal trading in VHS shares in 2005, and mortgages in Swiss francs between 2004 and 2012. In 2022, a group of victims united in the Stichting Compensatie Zwitserse Frank Leningen (Stichting CZFL). The more than four hundred clients claimed over 240 million euros in damages from Achmea. In August 2025, the court in The Hague rejected the claim because clients could have been aware of the risks. Achmea had been sufficiently transparent about the risks. The foundation is considering an appeal.

Staalbankiers was founded in 1916 by Machiel Staal, who established himself as a securities broker at Lange Houtstraat in The Hague. He wanted to focus more on the interests of each individual client. Initially, the bank focused on the market for private loans, and gradually the services were expanded. Machiel Staal wanted a bank that always put the interests of its clients first. There was no 'internal obligation' at the bank to offer its own funds and products. In 1938, the firm Staal & Co was converted into a public limited company. Until his death in 1966, Staal led his bank. After his death, the bank came into the hands of Van Lanschot, until ten years later in 1978 it was transferred to the then retail group Vendex. Since 1994, Staalbankiers has been part of Achmea, within which it operates as a modern private banking organization. In 2012, Pierre Huurman became chairman of the Statutory Board. He had worked at Staalbankiers since 2000, where he had been a member of the Statutory Board since 2006 with responsibility for Commerce and Financial Planning. Before Staalbankiers, he had worked for 10 years at ABN AMRO Bank as director of various offices and as a member of the Regional Management Team. In mid-2015, the majority of the mortgage portfolio, valued at over 1 billion euros, was transferred to Achmea Bank, also part of parent company Achmea. About ten employees also moved to Achmea Bank. After the transfer, the emphasis was on private banking activities. In 2016, the private banking activities of Staalbankiers were acquired by Van Lanschot. With this acquisition, Van Lanschot gained seven billion euros in assets under management, 280 million euros in savings, and a limited number of securities credits. A total of 25 employees from Staalbankiers transferred. Shortly afterwards, Van Lanschot dropped the Staalbankiers name. The remaining activities of Staalbankiers, including a mortgage portfolio of 250 million euros and 35 employees, remained with Achmea. The bank's headquarters was located in the building of Wijnhandel Maison Antonio Aguilar (a predecessor of Gall & Gall) that was built in 1906 in Wiener Secessionsstil on Lange Houtstraat in The Hague.

• 2016

  Private banking activities acquired by Van Lanschot; name later dropped.

• 2015

  Majority of mortgage portfolio (over €1 billion) transferred to Achmea Bank.

• 2012

  Pierre Huurman becomes chairman of the Statutory Board.

• 1994

  Staalbankiers becomes part of Achmea.

• 1978

  Bank transferred to retail group Vendex.

• 1966

  Machiel Staal dies; bank comes into the hands of Van Lanschot.

• 1938

  Firm Staal & Co converted into a public limited company (N.V.).

• 1916

  Founded by Machiel Staal as a securities brokerage in The Hague.

Private bank focused on individual client interests, operating as part of Achmea until 2016.

• Private banking

  Tailored banking and wealth management services for individual clients.

• Mortgages

  Residential mortgage loans, including Swiss franc-denominated mortgages between 2004 and 2012.

• Savings accounts

  Savings products for private clients.

• Securities brokerage

  Brokerage services for securities and investment products.

• 2015

  Swiss franc mortgages

• 2005

  Illegal trading in VHS shares

• 1998

  Losses on uncontrolled option trading

• 1990

  Client disadvantage in emissions

• 1989

  Secret documents affair

Read more

1. 1Staalbankiers - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Staalbankiers - Wikipedianl.wikipedia.org