Awards for Excellence 2019
Overall, this was a year when banks with greater strengths in debt financing could shine, as the decreasing chances of an imminent ECB rate rise reflected poorer global and regional growth prospects – weighing on Europe’s equity markets but still allowing many names to borrow funds at longer maturities.
What is most impressive about BNP Paribas, western Europe’s best bank for financing, is its involvement in such a large proportion of the most important financing deals of the year across the region – and not purely in debt. This reflects the bank’s efforts to widen its European presence under Yann Gérardin, head of corporate and institutional banking.
The bank began the awards period with a big deal in April last year, as sole coordinator of a €5 billion financing package for E.On relating to its acquisition of Innogy from RWE, advising on the exchange of assets and public offering of Innogy shares. And it ended the period in a similarly impressive way, acting as global coordinator on Vodafone’s £3.44