In late June, I attended the International Capital Market Association’s dinner at the Savoy Hotel in London to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Eurobond market. In 1963, the first fixed-rate Eurobond was launched by Autostrade. The issue was $15 million of 5.5% guaranteed bonds due 1972/78. Icma had gathered together an impressive group of market participants from all over the world. Issuers and bankers mingled and reminisced. Euromoney, which was founded in 1969 and has chronicled the development of and the milestones in the Eurobond market, was a sponsor of the dinner. As I scanned the guest list, I saw many familiar names: Cyrus Ardalan, Samir Assaf, Johannes Attems, Allegra Berman, Charlie Berman, Viscount Bridport, Waltraut Burghardt, Lachlan Burn, Maria Cannata, Christopher Carter, David Clark, Nicholas Clegg, Joe Cook, Frank Czichowski. And that brings me to only the fourth letter of the alphabet.
The syndicate area was particularly well represented at the dinner. I glimpsed John Walsh, ex CSFB, holding court to a group of former colleagues (John Fleming, Martin Egan and Simon Meadows) and peers (such as Roman Schmidt). The top table was replete with elder statesmen: Peter Spira, Stanley Ross, Eugene Rotberg, Rupert Hambro, Hans-Joerg Rudloff, Stany Yassukovich and Sir David Walker took turns to address the crowd.