Bangkok Bank
Bangkok Bank has a long history as a big player in Thai banking, with an impressive roster of corporate clients and an unrivalled international network of 32 international offices spanning 15 countries.
While it has been overshadowed by its nimbler rivals Kasikornbank and Siam Commercial Bank in some areas, when it comes to capital markets and corporate business, Bangkok Bank is still at the top of the game.
Under its veteran president Chartsiri Sophonpanich, it ranks second in Thailand’s debt capital markets, according to Dealogic, with 46 deals worth $3.8 billion in the 12 months from June 2018 to May 2019. It was also firmly positioned in the top tier of the ECM league with four deals worth $281 million.
The bank featured in several standout transactions. It was joint lead arranger for a Bt13.6 billion ($440 million) bond offering by EDL-Generation Public Company, the leading electricity producer in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. This was the largest-ever and the longest-ever tenor debenture issuance for a big hydropower project in Lao PDR.
Through its subsidiary Bualuang Securities, Bangkok Bank also made its mark in equities, despite relatively poor sentiment. In October, Bualuang acted as financial adviser and joint lead manager for the IPO of Osotspa PCL, a manufacturer of consumer products, with a total offer size of Bt15.1 billion.
Building on its reputation as one of the best ECM houses, Bualuang Securities completed four big-lot transactions, with a combined offering size of Bt9.5 billion and an average price discount of only 2.6%. These four transactions represent 38% of the total value of all accelerated placements during the period under review.
For its financial and advisory work, its big-ticket investment deals and presence in the corporate market, Bangkok Bank is a worthy winner of the best corporate and investment bank award.