Japan

Crédit Ag’s Sodhi takes global role – Daiwa equity-linked banker exits – Deutsche builds up loans team – Nomura hires DCM banker – Mizuho names CEO – MUFG appoints Philippines head – Russell-Davison joins Amana Bank

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) and Mizuho Bank opened the Panda bond market for Japanese issuers on January 12, with both crossing the finish line on the same day.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) has become the first Japanese issuer to tap the Panda bond market, crossing the finishing line on the same day as Mizuho Bank. The issuer focused on attracting local investors in its debut deal, raising Rmb1bn ($154m) from the onshore market.

Groupe BPCE issued ¥116.1bn ($1.04bn) of Samurai notes this week across six tranches, two of which were social bonds. But unlike with many socially responsible deals, the proceeds will go to clients rather than financing projects directly.

Mizuho Bank opened the Japanese Panda bond market on January 12, sharing the title of first issuer in the category with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG). But instead of aiming for a blockbuster transaction, Mizuho treaded carefully – raising just Rmb500m ($77m) from the debut deal.

Mizuho Financial Group has appointed Tatsufumi Sakai as its new president and group chief executive, succeeding Yasuhiro Sato, who is becoming the bank’s chairman.

Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group (CME) and Japan Exchange Group (JPX) on Monday announced that Yen-denominated Tokyo Stock Price Index (TOPIX) futures would launch on CME’s Globex platform on February 5.

Mizuho Bank is preparing to sell the first ever Panda bond by a Japanese issuer, after picking three local banks to manage the deal.

Nine years after the rescue of Lehman Brothers’ EMEA and Asian investment banking operations triggered a failed attempt by Nomura to enter the big league of investment banking, the Japanese bank has got the deal bug again, writes David Rothnie.

Lloyds is set to follow Santander in selling Samurai bonds this week, as European banks look to the yen market as a funding base for loss-absorbing debt.

Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and a syndicate of lenders have provided a $2.73bn loan to finance the construction of a railway and upgrade a port in Mozambique, which will ensure the long term supply of coal to Japan from the African country.

One of the last batches of the year’s Hong Kong IPOs kept the market busy this week, even as investors started to wind down for the holidays.