Asiamoney China Corporate and Investment Banking Awards

China International Capital Corp maintained its leadership in cross-border equity capital markets during our awards period, and worked on more ECM deals involving Chinese issuers than any of its Chinese and global peers, with an overall deal volume of $10 billion, according to Dealogic.

The investment banking arm of Bank of China, BOCI, together with other BOC entities including the bank’s Hong Kong branch, has always shown leadership in both Chinese and Asian offshore bonds, ranking alongside global firms such as HSBC and Citi.

Over the years, Citi has transformed itself into a household brand and a go-to foreign bank in China, both in institutional banking and consumer banking. Last year was a strong one for the firm, which saw 22% growth in its revenues to Rmb6.46 billion ($908 million), and a 63% jump in net profit to Rmb2.55 billion.

By deal volume, China International Capital Corp ranked number one on the M&A financial advisers’ league table involving Chinese companies during our awards period, with a market share of more than 11%, according to data supplied by Dealogic.

Having been one of the top three domestic bond underwriters by market share since 2012, China Securities Co (CSC), whose bond underwriting department is headed by Guo Chunlei, has maintained strong growth momentum in recent years, from an already very high base.

Citic Securities maintained its market leading position in domestic equity capital markets underwriting during our awards period. Between June 1, 2018 and May 31, 2019, Citic was involved in 57 ECM transactions with a volume of Rmb217 billion ($31 billion) – 64% higher than the second-place name, according to Wind.

To say that Citic Securities is an indisputable leader among Chinese securities houses is not an overstatement. Serving more than 8,000 clients, including over 1,600 listed companies, the investment banking business headed by Ma Yao is well-established and highly reputable. With 1,100 bankers based out of 13 domestic offices, the brokerage serves a full range of clients from state-owned enterprises to private companies and local government financing platforms.

Up against state-owned banks such as Bank of China and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the biggest lenders even at a global scale, CMB found a space among the very best in leverage finance.

There is no denying that Industrial and Commercial Bank of China is a volume house, just like its Chinese big four peers. During our awards period of June 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019, ICBC ranked first among all banks in terms of domestic bond underwriting, with a volume of Rmb1.36 trillion ($191 billion) and a 12.3% market share, according to Wind.