"Are you going to write things down?"
A head of global finance and regular on these pages temporarily loses the plot on the whole journalist/interviewee thing
"We might make proper businessmen of you yet"
A leading regulator makes an arch comment to a group of investment bankers. They’d been discussing how they could make sufficient returns on equity. The regulator suggested that efficiency might be a place to start
"We’re all asking ourselves: do I really want to blow my brains out in Spain again?"
A markets chief says he’s one of many considering his primary dealerships in the eurozone – before quickly reiterating his firm’s commitment to the Iberian peninsular
"Of course they should get out of these businesses and not come back. But the French never know when they’re beaten. Remember Napoleon"
A head of investment banking will believe in the retreat of the French banks when he sees it
"We’re taking lots of market share. But we’re not sure that we should be"
The head of one investment bank that’s prospering during the crisis is wary of picking up business, in case he can’t make money out of it
"He thought he could flick me away like a fly – he was wrong"
Guess which finance sector official at the centre of one of Europe’s biggest power struggles chatted to Euromoney last month? We look forward to when he can speak more freely about his ordeal