Asiamoney New Silk Road Finance Awards

Not for nothing is Bank of China still widely viewed as the country’s most outward-facing bank. It’s the country’s oldest extant lender and was the first mainland financial institution to boast a branch in the Middle East – a rep office in Bahrain that opened its doors to business back in 2004.

First Abu Dhabi Bank’s key strength in the context of this award is not just its robust credit rating, standing at AA- from Fitch and S&P, and Aa3 from Moody’s – although that matters. Nor is it the bank’s implicit government backing – although that matters too.

VTB, which is led by president and chairman Andrey Kostin, is the only Russian bank with a full financial licence to conduct banking operations in mainland China. It is also planning to open a new office in Shanghai’s financial district this June as business expands.

As China’s leading investment bank, CICC has long proved its worth when it comes to executing deals for mainland clients and helping them tap the global investor base.

Credit Bank of Moscow has made progress in the last year when it comes to boosting its focus on China and the Belt and Road Initiative.

Citi’s reach in Central and Eastern Europe, and Central and West Asia is impressive.

Located at the heart of Central Asia, Uzbekistan is a key pillar along the Silk Road. Chinese officials appear to have realized its strategic importance more than 2,000 years ago, when trade relations between the two countries were first established.

VTB, which is led by president and chairman Andrey Kostin, is the only Russian bank with a full financial licence to conduct banking operations in mainland China. It is also planning to open a new office in Shanghai’s financial district this June as business expands.

China International Capital Corp is known for its rigorous research on the Belt and Road Initiative. This year, the firm’s research department, led by chief economist Peng Wensheng, doubled down on its bottom-up research approach, even in the shadow of the pandemic.