EM Polls and Awards

Citi, HSBC and Credit Suisse impressed most for their structured products coverage over the past year, according to some of the region’s most senior finance and treasury officials. Asiamoney's poll this year received a total of 500 valid responses.

Regional executives have tightened belts in the last year, preferring cheaper forms of travel and accommodation to cut costs. Asiamoney reveals which hotels, airlines and airports were favoured in our largest Travel Poll to date.

In our largest ever Travel Poll, Shangri-La hotels and Singapore Airlines remain top picks of senior executives travelling for business and leisure in the region. In all, 520 business travelers from 28 nations participated.

Asiamoney’s Headhunters Poll 2010 saw some familiar favourites interspersed with new faces rising to the top. We reveal the top recruiters of the past year as voted for by poll respondents, and consider the prospects for 2010.

Nomura was involved in notable M&A transactions, dominated equity issuance and did a sterling job in bond coverage, too. It rightly wins Asiamoney's award as best investment bank in Japan over the past year.

Mizuho has long been a force in domestic, euro-yen and Samurai bond financings, and 2009 proved no exception. It earns Asiamoney's award as Japan's best bond arranger of the past year.

Nomura is almost the only domestic investment bank willing and able to arrange sizeable equity issues. Its dominance, as bookrunner on nine of the top 10 deals of last year, made it a shoe-in for Asiamoney's award.

The investment bank was responsible for US$29.4 billion of completed M&A deal flow last year for a 21.5% share of the overall market. It earns Asiamoney's nod as Japan's best M&A adviser over the past year.

Rapid execution and investor familiarity with JBIC’s name ensured that its US$2.5 billion 2% bonds due 2011 went seamlessly. It wins Asiamoney's award for best international bond in Japan over the past year.

Panasonic's three-tranche local bond was the firm's first domestic issue in seven years, offering investors a name diversity they welcomed. It wins Asiamoney's award for best local currency bond in Japan over the past year.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group's follow-on offering in December 2008 was the nation's largest since 2006. It was a trendsetter and earns Asiamoney's award in this category.

Takashimaya's issue of zero-coupon, five-year convertible bonds in October helped to open the door for successive issues out of Japan. It earns Asiamoney's award as Japan's best equity-linked offering over the past year.