The trip began in a drizzly Düsseldorf to meet HSBC’s team. On arrival, Ingo Nolden helped the Ranger remove her coat and on departure HSBC’s head of MTNs and Schuldschein, Michael Schramm helped her put it back on. This polite behaviour was a huge cultural shock for the Ranger. In cut-throat London, someone is more likely to pinch your coat than help you put in on.
Next, those famously efficient German trains delivered the Ranger smoothly to Frankfurt to meet BNP Paribas, Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank.
Once again at dinner, the Ranger had help with her coat from Commerzbank’s Reinhard Haas and Stefan Scherff.
Scherff, Commerzbank’s Schuldschein wiz, is usually found throwing himself down a mountainside on his skis.
Although, the Ranger learned, Scherff managed his most serious skiing accident when he fell over standing still. Steer clear of the schnapps Stefan!
Haas is also getting a taste for dangerous sports and is considering trading-in his family Volvo for a sportier motorbike.
Upon meeting the UniCredit team, a very courteous Matthias Noack — El Capitan of the Loan Syndicate Manager’s Forum — took the Ranger’s bag to lunch for her.
Then again, Paul Kuhn at BayernLB carried the Ranger’s bag for her. Twice!
As the Schuldschein product retains its traditional characteristics, so does its market participants — and the Ranger was glad to be on the receiving end of such gallantry!