Entering the Awards for Excellence

This award will go to an industry-leading bank that shows strong financial performance across key metrics; that has a clearly differentiated business model founded on the core strengths of its franchise; that has shown an ability to adapt to changing market and regulatory conditions; that is innovative; and has established a track record of delivering on its targets to shareholders and commitment to its client.

This award will go to an industry-leading firm that shows an ability to deliver for its clients across investment banking products and sectors, including financing, advisory and markets, while demonstrating strong financial performance and risk management. The winner will need to prove it provides excellent products and services for its customer franchise and can adapt well to the changing market and regulatory environment.

The winner of this award will be a senior bank executive who has shown the value of leadership over the review period, whether in establishing an industry-leading bank or business line, or in turning around the fortunes of an institution that was previously struggling. The winner will be able to demonstrate a clear and appropriate strategic vision that he or she has delivered on.

This award will recognise the firm that stands out across debt and equity capital markets, lending (including structured and leveraged), M&A financing, risk management trades, etc, for all client sectors. Smart and innovative solutions are more important to this award than scale. Geographic diversity is a positive, while cross-asset class capabilities are a prerequisite of success.

This award will go to the firm that can demonstrate best-in-class advice to clients across corporates, FIG and SSAs around M&A, restructuring, risk management and regulatory issues. Innovation and an ability to demonstrate understanding of and response to clients’ needs are of primary importance. Remember: good advice can be recommending to clients that they should not do something as much as recommending what they should do.

This award will go to the bank that shows excellence and commitment to sales and trading in all important asset classes, providing consistent and well-priced liquidity, as well as demonstrating leadership in technology and research. The winning bank will need to demonstrate a best-in-class ability to continue to service their institutional clients in difficult market and regulatory conditions.

Banks submitting for this award will need to demonstrate their ability to provide banking services to corporates across credit and lending, capital markets financing, advisory, transaction services and risk management. There will be a particular focus on serving multinational corporations.

Banks submitting for this award will need to demonstrate their ability to provide banking services to financial institutions across credit and lending, capital markets financing, advisory, liquidity provision, transaction services and risk management. A track record in multiple geographies is important.

This award will focus on financing and advisory for sovereigns, supranationals and agencies, as well as other public-sector organizations, such as export finance institutions. It will also incorporate the financing of large infrastructure projects. The winning bank will need to demonstrate international diversity in its business.

This award will go to the bank that shows true leadership in its digital offering – whether in wholesale or retail banking – or a combination of the two, using technology that clearly benefits both clients and the efficiency of the institution. It will show how digital banking is at the heart of its overall strategy.

This award will go to the bank that can demonstrate outstanding commitment to the particular needs of small and medium-sized enterprises over the review period across financing, advice, trade, cash management and growth initiatives.

The winner of this award will be the bank that shows proven excellence in its corporate and financial institution relationships in cash management, payments and trade finance. An ability to help clients across geographies is important to this award, as is innovation through technology. Providing details of important client-mandate wins is important, as is demonstrating best-in-class financial performance.

The world’s best bank for securities services must demonstrate how it has differentiated itself in meeting the challenges the industry faces from new regulation, market evolution and the development of emerging technology. It will need to demonstrate excellence in traditional securities servicing as well as operational efficiency, market expertise and a proven ability to navigate the evolution of the custody business.

The winner of this award must provide financial solutions to importers and exporters worldwide that mitigate the payment and supply risk involved in international trade. They must demonstrate the ability to address risks such currency fluctuations, political instability, non-payment, and creditworthiness of either party in the most efficient and employ regional and jurisdictional expertise in finding solutions for clients. The world’s best trade finance bank will also be at the forefront of new technologies that are streamlining trade finance processes and accelerating innovation in this business.

The winner of this award will be a private bank or wealth management division that can demonstrate a proven track record in providing best-in-class service to wealth management clients on an international scale, combining excellence in advice, products, technology and innovation, as well as demonstrating growth in client assets and revenues and strong financial performance.

This award will recognise a bank that has transformed its business model or offering to clients and can demonstrate that this transformation is now paying dividends in terms of business performance.

This award is open to two types of candidates: those that can demonstrate excellence across the emerging markets in multiple jurisdictions, or those that show best-in-class performance at a local or regional level. Criteria will be broadly similar to those of the global best bank award.

This award is open to two types of candidates: those that can demonstrate excellence across the emerging markets in multiple jurisdictions, or those that show best-in-class performance at a local or regional level. Criteria will be broadly similar to those of the global best investment bank award.

This award, which is not limited to the mainstream banking sector, seeks to reward financial innovation that improves the processes of financial markets. We will consider a single innovation or a series of innovations that have come into live production and that solve real world-problems for customers. Examples might include fintech penetration into mainstream financial services to the benefit of the consumer; practical examples of blockchain technologies being applied in a useful and commercially viable fashion in transaction services; or efforts to bring digital assets closer to regulated banking norms. We will also consider innovations that transform financial processes in ways that allow banks to share or reduce costs and operate more efficiently and product innovations for wholesale customers, for example in capital raising or markets trading.

To win this award, a bank’s commitment to the following will be considered: advancing the growth of the ESG and impact investment industry through product development, measurement and reporting; green finance initiatives, including green bonds, conservation and carbon finance; micro finance, financial inclusion and use of balance sheet for low-income communities; community development and social finance projects; and stewardship/active ownership.

To win this award, a bank’s commitment to the following will be considered: fostering diversity and inclusion; reducing the environmental impact of operations; promoting workforce development and social mobility; innovative and effective initiatives to strengthen local communities in which banks are domiciled; and ethical business conduct.

The winning bank will not only need to show a strong track record over the review period for initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion, both within their own bank, the markets and industry more generally, they will also need to demonstrate that their diversity policy is having a positive effect on the performance of their bank and their offering to clients.

The winning bank will have a series of initiatives within its retail business that have created or improved services to the underbanked or unbanked. The bank will provide data on the number of individuals reached during the review period, as well as case studies to support the success of programmes, products or services to these two sectors.

The winner of this award will demonstrate industry leadership in the use of ESG data for risk management and product development, as well as the ability to help clients navigate an increasingly complex field. An innovative approach to technology is essential, while openness to collaboration with partners within and beyond the banking sector to develop solutions is a positive.

Net-zero commitments alone will not be enough to win this award. The successful candidate will demonstrate a credible, science-based strategy for achieving Paris alignment as well as much shorter-term targets for decarbonizing their portfolios and operations, and helping clients to do the same. We will also look for proof of a commitment to transparency through prompt and comprehensive reporting.

The written submission in this category is your chance to demonstrate how your achievements over the 12-month period under consideration show that your bank, rather than any other, is the best-run bank across your region.

• Banks should include relevant financial performance data as part of their written submission. They may also submit an appendix of up to two pages detailing year-on-year financial performance up to the most recent reporting date available. They may also provide comparative data with other banks, where clearly sourced.
• Some of the key metrics we consider include: market capitalization; total revenues; pre-tax profit; net income; return on tangible common equity; return on assets; net interest margin; cost-to-income ratio; Basel III tier-1 capital; market share of deposits; market share of loans; loan-to-deposit ratio; non-performing loan ratio; and non-performing loan coverage ratio.
  
• A demonstrable ability to meet strategic targets is an important factor in our decisions, and written submissions must include details of any such announcements over the review period, as well as updates on reaching milestones in previously announced initiatives.
• This might include your relative performance versus your competitors in key data sets; it may be the launch of new products that have been very successful; it may be successes in achieving better risk management; or it may be how you coped with difficult or changing market conditions.
• Case studies and/or client testimonials can be a useful part of the submission. Differentiation is a core theme of our coverage, and Euromoney will take into account those banks that can demonstrate a clear difference to their competitors in their performance, in what they offer to their clients, or in their strategy.
  
• As well as financial performance, banks should include details on their digital banking strategy and their approach to issues such as cybersecurity and corporate social responsibility.
  
• In addition, banks may submit lists and contact details for independent analysts that cover their institution or append supporting research notes covering the bank’s performance in the period under consideration.
  
• Written submissions should also include the name, title and contact details of individuals within the bank who can respond to requests for further details from Euromoney’s editors and researchers.

Submissions for best investment bank should show a breadth of capabilities in terms of client-driven business across debt, equity, M&A, corporate advisory and areas such as foreign exchange and cash management.

• Please note that we consider both domestic and international investment banking activity in deciding this award, and submissions should reflect this where possible.
  
• The submission should, where possible, include performance data for the investment banking division (or closest equivalent: please state clearly what businesses are included in your submitted data), such as overall revenues, profit before tax, return on equity and cost-to-income ratio, including year-on-year changes.
  
• Particular attention should be given to the investment bank’s ability to deliver solutions across a range of products or disciplines. Case studies and client testimonials are a beneficial addition to any best investment bank submission.
  
• In light of changing regulatory and market conditions, we will also give favourable consideration to submissions that show an ability to adapt in a positive way to those changes, to efficient use of capital and to strong collaboration between divisions.
  
• Given the increasing prevalence of multiple bookrunners on many deals, a clear description of the role played by your firm on any given deal that is part of your submission is important. Failure to do so will suggest a passive rather than active role on the deal.

This award recognises regional strength in debt and equity capital markets, lending (including structured and leveraged), M&A financing, risk management trades, etc for all client sectors. Smart and innovative solutions are more important than scale. Geographic diversity is a positive, and cross-asset class capability is a prerequisite of success.

This award recognises best-in-class advice to clients across corporates, FIG and SSAs around M&A, restructuring, risk management and regulatory issues. Innovation and an ability to demonstrate understanding of and response to clients’ needs across the region are of primary importance.

True leadership in a digital offering, whether in wholesale or retail banking or a combination of the two, is essential in this category. We are looking for a use of technology that clearly benefits both clients and the efficiency of the institution. Digital banking will be at the heart of the winner’s overall regional strategy.

This award will go to the bank that can demonstrate outstanding regional commitment to the particular needs of small and medium-sized enterprises. We will assess financing, advice, trade, cash management and growth initiatives.

This category considers the extent to which candidates are advancing the growth of the ESG and impact investment industry through product development, measurement and reporting, green finance initiatives, conservation and carbon finance along with micro finance, financial inclusion and use of balance sheet for social finance projects.

The winner of this award will demonstrate excellence in cash management, payments and trade finance across the region. We are looking for innovation through technology and best-in-class financial performance.

To win this award, a bank’s commitment to the following will be considered: fostering diversity and inclusion; reducing the environmental impact of operations; promoting workforce development and social mobility; innovative and effective initiatives to strengthen local communities in which banks are domiciled; and ethical business conduct.

The winner in this category will need to demonstrate a proven track record in best-in-class service to wealth management clients across the region, combining excellence in advice, products, technology and innovation, as well as demonstrating growth in client assets and revenues and strong financial performance.

The written submission in this category is your chance to demonstrate how your achievements over the 12-month period under consideration show that your bank, rather than any other, is the best-run bank in your country.

Banks should include relevant financial performance data as part of their written submission. They may also submit an appendix of up to two pages detailing year-on-year financial performance up to the most recent reporting date available. They may also provide comparative data with other banks, where clearly sourced.

Some of the key metrics we consider include: market capitalization; total revenues; pre-tax profit; net income; return on tangible common equity; return on assets; net interest margin; cost-to-income ratio; Basel III tier-1 capital; market share of deposits; market share of loans; loan-to-deposit ratio; non-performing loan ratio; and non-performing loan coverage ratio.

A demonstrable ability to meet strategic targets is an important factor in our decisions, and written submissions must include details of any such announcements over the review period, as well as updates on reaching milestones in previously announced initiatives.

This might include your relative performance versus your competitors in key data sets; it may be the launch of new products that have been very successful; it may be successes in achieving better risk management; or it may be how you coped with difficult or changing market conditions.

Case studies and/or client testimonials can be a useful part of the submission. Differentiation is a core theme of our coverage, and Euromoney will take into account those banks that can demonstrate a clear difference to their competitors in their performance, in what they offer to their clients, or in their strategy.

As well as financial performance, banks should include details on their digital banking strategy and their approach to issues such as cybersecurity and corporate social responsibility.

In addition, banks may submit lists and contact details for independent analysts that cover their institution or append supporting research notes covering the bank’s performance in the period under consideration.

Written submissions should also include the name, title and contact details of individuals within the bank who can respond to requests for further details from Euromoney’s editors and researchers.

Banks submitting for this award will need to demonstrate their ability to provide banking services to corporates across credit and lending, capital markets financing, advisory, transaction services and risk management. There will be a particular focus on serving multinational corporations.

This award will go to the bank that can demonstrate outstanding commitment to the particular needs of small and medium-sized enterprises over the review period across financing, advice, trade, cash management and growth initiatives.

To win this award, a bank’s commitment to the following will be considered: fostering diversity and inclusion; reducing the environmental impact of operations; promoting workforce development and social mobility; innovative and effective initiatives to strengthen local communities in which banks are domiciled; and ethical business conduct.

Submissions for best investment bank should show a breadth of capabilities in terms of client-driven business across debt, equity, M&A, corporate advisory and areas such as foreign exchange and cash management.

Please note that we consider both domestic and international investment banking activity in deciding this award, and submissions should reflect this where possible.

The submission should, where possible, include performance data for the investment banking division (or closest equivalent: please state clearly what businesses are included in your submitted data), such as overall revenues, profit before tax, return on equity and cost-to-income ratio, including year-on-year changes.

Particular attention should be given to the investment bank’s ability to deliver solutions across a range of products or disciplines. Case studies and client testimonials are a beneficial addition to any best investment bank submission.

In light of changing regulatory and market conditions, we will also give favourable consideration to submissions that show an ability to adapt in a positive way to those changes, to efficient use of capital and to strong collaboration between divisions.

Given the increasing prevalence of multiple bookrunners on many deals, a clear description of the role played by your firm on any given deal that is part of your submission is important. Failure to do so will suggest a passive rather than active role on the deal.

This award will go to the bank that shows true leadership in its digital offering – whether in wholesale or retail banking – or a combination of the two, using technology that clearly benefits both clients and the efficiency of the institution. It will show how digital banking is at the heart of its overall strategy.

The winning bank will not only need to show a strong track record over the review period for initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion, both within their own bank, the markets and industry more generally, they will also need to demonstrate that their diversity policy is having a positive effect on the performance of their bank and their offering to clients.

The winner of this award will demonstrate industry leadership in the use of ESG data for risk management and product development, as well as the ability to help clients navigate an increasingly complex field. An innovative approach to technology is essential, while openness to collaboration with partners within and beyond the banking sector to develop solutions is a positive.