BORROWER OF THE YEAR: GMAC
Bob Almon is the Euromarkets' Mister Nice Guy. He is vice president responsible for borrowings at General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) the biggest corporate borrower in the world with liabilities of around $70 billion--a global debt somewhere between that of Brazil and Mexico.
When he takes GMAC to market, his aim is not to squeeze the last drop out of the investor. GMAC is such a heavy borrower that it needs to come again and again to the same markets, and to diversify into new ones. That requires the support of a loyal band of investors and of investment banks.
Almon's investment bankers regard him and his colleague Dan Potts as a unique phenomenon.
"Of all repeat borrowers they're among the most reasonable and receptive in the world,' said Hans-Joerg Rudloff, deputy chairman of Credit Suisse First Boston. "They don't screw investment bankers and they don't squeeze out the last two basis points.'
"In the Euromarket we're more interested in market receptivity than cost savings compared to the US,' concurred Almon.' We want today's deal done, clean, and we want investors to like it.'
Surely that's everyone's aim.