Morning:
13°c
Inquest opens into banker's death
06.07.09
An inquest into the death of a high-flying financier found dead in woodland was opened and adjourned today.
Dutch banker Huibert Boumeester went missing along with two of his shotguns after he left his job at troubled banking group ABN Amro.
His body was discovered with gunshot wounds in Winkfield, Windsor, Berkshire, on the morning of June 28, six days after he disappeared.
A vehicle matching the description of Mr Boumeester's car, a blue 56-registration Range Rover, was found near the scene.
In a statement released when his body was found, the family of the 49-year-old, who had homes in London and Scotland, said they were "deeply grieved" by his death.
Mr Boumeester joined ABN Amro, the 2007 takeover of which plunged the Royal Bank of Scotland into record losses, in 1987.
He worked his way up to the post of chief financial officer before leaving early last year. It is not known whether he left the company voluntarily or was forced out.
Staff at Artemis Assets Management, where the missing businessman was appointed to the board following a merger with ABN Amro, said he resigned in March this year citing "personal reasons".
Mr Boumeester, who set up the Boumeester Foundation in a bid to conserve cultures in countries such as Vietnam, China and Bhutan, was described by police as "feeling down" when he went missing.
Berkshire Coroner Peter Bedford opened the inquest at his Reading office this morning.
The inquest will resume at the Guildhall, Windsor, on a date to be set.
