Jan van den Brink had an important part in rebuilding the Netherlands after World War II as the Minister of Economic Affairs. In 1952, he made the switch to banking and from 1952-1978 was on the board of the Amsterdam Bank and the Board of Directors of the Amro Bank.

With the opening of its new headquarters in 1987 in southeast Amsterdam, Amro Bank was the first of the large banks that moved out of the central city.

With the upcoming expected European integration in 1992, Amro Bank and the Belgian Generale Bank decided in late 1987 to cooperate closely. Ultimately, the merger between the two banks did not take place.