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Rarely has having a bank with the expertise to navigate uncertain markets been so important to borrowers as in 2023. One firm in particular stood out for its ability to guide successful transactions home in the hardest of conditions. The winner of GlobalCapital’s Loan House of the Year — in addition to a host of other loan awards — was BNP Paribas. GlobalCapital spoke to Nicolas Rabier, the bank’s co-head of investment grade finance, about what lay behind the firm’s success and some of the stand out deals from the past year.

Crédit Agricole CIB was involved in virtually every award-winning loan deal this year. But its strength in real asset finance won special mention. Clean energy and the digital transition are two of the most important trends in global infrastructure — the bank is at the heart of both. Unrivalled experience saw the firm lead stellar telecom tower and offshore wind transactions — leaving it the clear winner of Best Arranger of Infrastructure and Renewables Loans.

Emirates NBD Capital’s CEO, Hitesh Asarpota, discusses the growing Middle East equity market, high demand for sustainability and Sukuk, and the bank’s priorities for 2024 during a discussion with GlobalCapital.

Emirates NBD Capital’s CEO, Hitesh Asarpota, discusses the growing Middle East equity market, high demand for sustainability and Sukuk, and the bank’s priorities for 2024 during a discussion with GlobalCapital.

To date, it has launched fifteen sustainable bond issues (10 social and 5 green) for an amount of 7,552 million euros to finance projects that drive sustainable growth.

Bertrand de Mazières, Director General of Finance at the European Investment Bank (EIB), retires this year after 17 years at the institution. During an august career he helped guide the bank through periods of global financial crisis and political turmoil. He was instrumental in the EIB’s evolution into a climate bank that has laid the foundations of a trillion dollar green bond market. But in a testament to the institution’s culture, what he will miss most is the people.

It has been a busy year for capital markets across the Middle East in general, and the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in particular.

Nearly 10 years on from its foundation, French local government funding agency Agence France Locale is building up its support for environmentally friendly and sustainable projects

Robust primary supply, currency diversification and a shifting product mix are among the key Crédit Agricole CIB forecasts for European bank issuance next year.

Years of strategic investment in technology and personnel have turned Fenics Market Data into an industry-leader. A powerhouse of data and analytics, the firm’s expertise across different products, subject areas and regulatory issues creates a peerless business proposition. Fenics Market Data is a well-deserved winner of GlobalCapital’s Americas Data and Analytics Vendor of the Year.

As the drive to finance more green projects spreads across the world, stakeholders are in need of further guidance on how to identify appropriate green project opportunities. In its ease of use, comprehensive coverage and analytic rigour, the EIB’s Green Eligibility Checker has emerged as a market-leading digital tool for the greening of the financial industry.

European firms have had a tumultuous few years and the sands are set to continue shifting in 2024. Fractious geopolitics, untamed inflation and the megatrends of decarbonisation and AI make strategic planning a major headache. But DBRS Morningstar says certain firms are better placed to navigate the challenges.

Distinguished by its cutting-edge proprietary technology and tailor-made solutions, Capitalab — a division of London-based BGC Brokers — has built an impressive reputation for helping firms manage their most complex derivative problems. For its exemplary work helping clients adapt to an ever-evolving market, Capitalab wins Americas Optimisation Service of the Year award.

A world-class team, decades of dedication to the market and unparalleled coverage across different products all helped put Citi ahead of its competitors in 2022. The firm has taken home well-deserved awards for credit derivatives in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, as well as interest rate derivatives in the Americas.

COP27 demonstrated the power of well organised climate-vulnerable nations pursuing collective, purposeful action for climate justice. The Middle East and Africa were core actors at COP27, since they were considered to be the most vulnerable to climate change. CIB is committed to working with stakeholders to achieve decarbonisation and climate goals. By collaborating and providing leadership, the bank aims to support the transition towards a green economy that benefits communities, the environment, and the economy.

Egypt may lack the Gulf region’s capacity for state-directed investment, but its savvy policy choices and private sector dynamism have still made it a regional leader in renewable energy growth.

Egypt’s strategic importance, resilient banking industry and huge population remain strong fundamentals for the country. Although it faces economic volatility, investors say the government is on the right track to unlock Egypt’s immense investment opportunities.

The European Investment Bank has built impressive longstanding relationships across North Africa in general and Morocco in particular. It began working with Morocco in 1979, since when it has channelled some €10bn of investment into the country. These flows have accelerated, with €2.5bn invested in the last five years, making Morocco the second largest recipient of EIB investment in North Africa since 2017. In this interview, Ricardo Mourinho Félix, the EIB vice-president responsible, among other things, for its activities in Morocco and Tunisia, shares his thoughts on the Bank’s lending strategy and its response to the earthquake in Morocco.

Sustainable finance has come a long way — but not far enough. Two European Investment Bank climate finance experts discuss why capital markets are not yet turning the tide against climate change, and why rigorous guidance on transition finance is so badly needed.

For a country with Qatar’s incredible fossil fuel resources, the move towards decarbonisation is a substantial challenge. But its leaders have acknowledged the importance of placing renewable power and sustainable economic growth at the forefront of the country’s strategy.

Following the 2022 World Cup, we are experiencing a transformative 2023. Slower credit growth is signalling a shift from rapid non-oil sector expansion, which was driven by extensive infrastructure investments tied to the event. The remarkable infrastructure built for the World Cup will find a new purpose, boosting the economy through international events. The tourism and hospitality sectors, along with upcoming events like the Asian Football Cup and Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, will enhance global attention.

A successful FIFA World Cup helped put Qatar squarely in the centre of the world stage. Now, with the tournament behind it, the country is moving forward with the next stage of its incredible economic journey.

The successful preparation and organisation of the 2022 FIFA World Cup — the largest event ever hosted in the region — led to strong economic growth. The momentum associated with the event contributed to an 8% year-on-year GDP growth for Qatar in Q4 2022, the strongest performance in more than a decade. Importantly, Qatar’s non-energy sector was particularly buoyed, with close to 10% growth during the same period.

Supporting the next stage of Qatar’s economic journey is a priority for Commercial Bank, and we believe that the banking sector can play a pivotal role. We aim to provide tailored financial solutions that enable both local and international investors to participate in Qatar’s economic development. This includes offering competitive lending terms, structured finance solutions, and investment advisory services to help businesses thrive and expand. We empower SMEs — which are vital drivers of economic diversification and job creation - by providing access to capital, financial advice, and specialised banking solutions. Commercial Bank’s efficient and convenient digital platforms allow businesses and individuals to conduct financial transactions seamlessly. We aim to be a catalyst for economic growth, innovation, and prosperity in Qatar.

The success of the FIFA World Cup has raised Qatar’s profile as a destination for tourism and foreign direct investment and highlighted its potential as a host for international events. The country invested more than $200bn in infrastructure for the World Cup, which is now expected to result in positive economic multiplier effects. The increase in FDI is a crucial component of economic diversification.

In a testament to its position as the leading derivatives marketplace, CME Group takes home no fewer than four awards this year. The firm’s breadth of expertise across major asset classes, innovative product development and unrivalled clearing operations helped it win global and regional awards as a derivatives exchange, clearing house and a weather derivatives provider.

Mayer Brown is at the cutting-edge of the global derivatives market. The firm’s global reach, its interdisciplinary approach and its expertise across the entire asset class have made it the practice of choice from Toronto to Rio De Janeiro. For its exemplary coverage across the US and the Americas, Mayer Brown is the deserved winner of best law firm in both categories.

In a complex market spanning myriad clients, products and regulatory regimes, few law firms can claim to offer support and expertise in a truly global sense. Clifford Chance is one of them. The firm’s work on everything from fundamental market infrastructure to cutting-edge product development is peerless, and secures its win as Global Capital’s Global Law Firm of the Year.

A volatile backdrop characterised by huge shifts in interest rates left clients searching for timely and strategic solutions. In a rapidly changing market, Nomura’s command of global market conditions and its peerless expertise across different products meant no firm was better able to support customers in 2022. The firm is a clear and deserved winner of Interest Rate Derivatives House of the Year for Europe & Asia.

In a market often dominated by large teams of generic consultants, Novatus Global (Novatus) has used cutting edge software and deep specialisation to create a unique proposition. The firm’s platforms allow clients to run complex regulatory checks and identify problems in seconds. For its leading role at the forefront of RegTech development in the derivatives market, Novatus wins Regulatory Solutions Provider of the Year in Europe & Asia.

To date, it has launched fifteen sustainable bond issues (10 social and 5 green) for an amount of 7,552 million euros to finance projects that drive sustainable growth.

The multifaceted nature of emerging markets means that successful trading platforms need to deliver cutting-edge technology and a deep understanding of different clients’ needs and workflows. MarketAxess excels on both fronts. Combining world-class data and analytics, unique execution protocols, and a consultative, client-focused development strategy, the firm was a clear winner of Best Secondary Market Trading Platform.

7th ICO Sustainable Bond Forum has been inaugurated by the Director General of the Treasury and Financial Policy, Álvaro López Barceló, and by the Chairman of ICO, José Carlos García de Quevedo.The Deputy Governor of the Bank of Spain, Margarita Delgado, has been closed this seventh edition.Instituto de Crédito Oficial has organised the conference in collaboration with BBVA, Crédit Agricole, HSBC, ING and Santander. Throughout the years, it has become a reference space to assess the evolution of the green, social and sustainable bond markets.ICO maintains its leadership as an issuer of sustainable bonds after accumulating a total of 14 issues (9 social bond issues and 5 green bond issues) for a total amount of 7 bn euros.These issuances are part of ICO's strategy to contribute to the growth of the sustainable bond market and ensure the channelling of funds to finance projects linked to sustainability from a social and environmental point of view, in line with the Government's Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.The Director General of the Treasury and Financial Policy, Álvaro López, and the Chairman of the Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO), José Carlos García de Quevedo, have inaugurated, Thursday, June 8, ICO Sustainable Bond Forum, which reaches its seventh edition this year. The Deputy Governor of the Bank of Spain, Margarita Delgado, has closed the event.

A peak outside Europe, then back to regulation, ESG, and project BIRD for the final day of panels

Private equity firms and their investors will need to adjust to a more challenging era for private capital

Wednesday in Barcelona brought market outlooks, performance reviews, and discussions on topics such as ESG, SRT, autos and NPLs

KBRA reviews the day’s panels, from regulation and the macro outlook to RMBS, ABS, CLOs, CMBS and private credit

If you’re caught in meetings all day at Global ABS, KBRA’s daily recaps will keep you on top of events at the conference

Mayer Brown has been a leading law firm in the asset-backed securities space since the market’s inception in the 1980s. Mayer Brown’s decades of experience have allowed it to build a practice with unrivalled expertise, making it the counsel of choice for issuers, underwriters and investors across numerous asset classes. Always at the cutting edge of regulatory developments and market evolution, Mayer Brown is once again GlobalCapital’s ABS Law Firm of the Year.

The rating agency market rankings for securitization in recent years all tell a similar story. Across a range of structured finance products from consumer and small business loans to esoterics, KBRA emerges on top. For the third year in a row, the firm’s breadth of coverage, depth of insight and commitment to quality make it GlobalCapital’s Securitization Rating Agency of the Year.

Community solar has become a powerful force in the shift towards green energy. In 2022, DSD Renewables opened the door to a new source of funding for the industry, becoming the first borrower to issue a securitization backed with a significant concentration of community solar assets. Impressive in terms of innovation and impact, the $155m transaction was a clear winner of GlobalCapital’s ESG Securitization Deal of the Year.

ATLAS SP celebrates its first year under a new name with well deserved wins in several securitization award categories. Exemplary work on multiple successful transactions helped secure the title of Esoteric ABS Bank of the Year. ATLAS SP was also responsible for bringing a groundbreaking community solar-backed deal to market, which GlobalCapital recognised as the best ESG Securitization Deal of 2022.

There was no shortage of innovation across the securitization market in 2022. But even amid strong competition, Newmarket Capital and Banco Santander’s Project Bocarte was a standout transaction. A cutting-edge structure, a focus on sustainability and a commitment to financing the energy transition made the bilateral trade a worthy winner of GlobalCapital’s Most Innovative Deal of the Year.

Jefferies’ second year as a force in Europe's primary CLO market saw the firm secure a second consecutive win for excellence in the asset class. Strong relationships on the buy and sell side, combined with an unparalleled ability to time the market, helped the firm dominate the league tables and earn a well deserved win as CLO Bank of the Year.

Over the course of more than a century, U.S. Bank has built an exceptional corporate trust business. The firm’s strategic acquisitions and dedicated investment in people and technology have made it the partner of choice across the securitization market. Standing head and shoulders above its competitors, the bank was a clear winner in both CLO Trustee of the Year and Securitization Trustee of the Year categories.

Nomura has been a force in the mortgage market for almost a decade. In 2022, its combination of agility, insight and dedication helped the firm to a suite of securitization awards. In addition to winning the coveted RMBS Bank of the Year, Nomura won for its exemplary securitization research and secured two separate awards for its ARMI 2022-1 transaction.

In a volatile year for equity capital markets one region was a beacon of relative stability in 2022. The Middle East became an engine of IPO activity and HSBC has been at the forefront of this buoyant market, leading the regional transaction pipeline.

At the Euromoney Asian Covered Bond Roadshow in Singapore in March, DZ BANK led a session looking into recent policy and market developments in ESG covered bonds.

Banks, investment managers, and private equity firms are increasingly embracing Natural Language Processing to transform areas of their operations

A long established dominance due to the bank's number one loan platform in the market

Preeminence for private placements built on investment in the right people and the right platform for any situation

A pioneer and powerhouse in sustainable finance, supporting its market-leading capabilities and position in its home market