BRI’s recent award triumphs point to its focus on becoming a champion of financial inclusion | FinanceAsia

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According to Sunarso, leader director, Bank Rakyat Indonesia ( BRI),” Tr I will continue to focus on the MSME section to realize its dreams of becoming the most important banks group in Southeast Asia and a champion of financial inclusion by 2025.” He continued,” As the nationwide economic structure is dominated by Enterprises, providing loans to MSME people is anticipated to have a significant positive impact on the Indonesian business.”

The 130-year-old company’s outstanding achievement in FinanceAsia Asia’s Best Businesses Poll 2024 and the FinanceAsia Awards demonstrate how focused this perspective is on BRI’s peers in the industry.

In FinanceAsia Asia’s Best Companies ballot, the banks won silver in the following categories: Best Director for Sunarso, leader director, BRI, Best Managed Company – Indonesia, and Best Investor Relations – Indonesia.

Additionally, BRI won bronze in the types of Best Big Cap Company in Indonesia and Best CFO in Indonesia for Viviana Dyah Ayu Retno K, Most Committed to DEI – Indonesia, Most Committed to ESG – Indonesia, and Best Big Cap Company – Indonesia.

The bank had a stellar run at the FinanceAsia Awards 2023-2024 winning Best Bank for Financial Inclusion ( Domestic ) and Best Commercial Bank- SMEs ( Domestic ), apart from securing commendations for Best Sustainable Bank ( Domestic ), Most Innovative Use of Technology – Banks ( Domestic )

View Sunarso, the president’s director ,’s acceptance speech, below.

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Capital Group appoints Apac MD for global financial institutions | FinanceAsia

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Capital Group, an active asset manager with over US$2.8 trillion in assets under management (AUM), has appointed Marketa Dvorak as managing director, global financial institutions (GFI) in Asia Pacific (Apac).

Dvorak (pictured) will continue to be based in Singapore and reports to London-based Nick Shaw, head of client group, GFI, who oversees GFI operations in both Asia and Europe.

Dvorak started earlier this month on November 11 and was previously managing director, global wealth management, Apac, at Wellington Management, according to her LinkedIn prodiles.

The aim is for Dvorak to deepen and expand Capital Group’s relationships with major financial institutions based across Apac, according to a media release. Her responsibilities will include working with local client groups, including global and regional distributors, supoporting strategic objectives and support clients in the region with value-added services beyond investing, according to the release.

Shaw said in the release: “We hear from global financial institutions that they want fewer partners and expect more from their asset manager. We’re committed to supporting our partners across the region to meet their needs and their clients’ financial goals. Apac is a key growth market for Capital Group where we have been serving investors for more than 40 years.”

Dvorak commented, “I’m excited to join Capital Group in this role, dedicated to growing and establishing strategic relationships with global financial institutions in the Apac region. I look forward to collaborating with our team around the world to further build upon the momentum with GFI partners both globally and locally, and support more investors in the region.”

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DBS’ chief data and transformation officer on ‘human’ AI in banking | FinanceAsia

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Speaking to FinanceAsia at the 2024 Singapore Fintech Festival, Nimish Panchmatia, chief data and transformation officer at DBS, described how artificial intelligence (AI) could evolve beyond optimising individual tasks in banking,

Panchmatia noted: “Today, a lot of people are focusing on what I would call user-centered AI, but if you lift this up to the next level, is human-centred AI.”

This shift, Panchmatia explained, isn’t just about streamlining processes, but about building AI models that actively support customer well-being, financial literacy, and a positive societal impact

Going deeper into this human-centred AI (HCAI), IBM in a recent paper explained, “adhering to the core value that “human + AI” is better than either one individually, novel user experiences can be.  developed that foster human-AI collaboration”.

HCAI is an emerging discipline and Panchmatia believes it is increasingly important for the banking sector. With AI-driven tools like virtual financial advisors and personalised education modules becoming more common, banks can reduce the transactional feel of interactions and establish themselves as partners in their customers’ financial journeys — a shift expected to drive stronger customer retention than models based solely on service speed or product sales.

Panchmatia also discussed adaptive feedback loops, which refine customer insights to continuously improve AI models.

For example, if a customer is given a “nudge” (such as an instalment option for a large purchase) and chooses not to engage, that feedback helps adjust future interactions.

“If you got a nudge and didn’t act, this went back into the model to say, ‘Okay, why didn’t this customer engage?’” he explained. By continuously learning from customer behaviour, banks can anticipate needs more accurately, aligning with the industry-wide shift toward hyper-personalised services.

According to a 2023 report by S&P Global, the potential for the new AI to reshape banking is vast with below being some common AI applications in banking.

 

The McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) estimates that across the global banking sector, generative AI (Gen AI) could add between $200 billion and $340 billion in value annually, or 2.8% to 4.7% of total industry revenues, largely through increased productivity.

In terms of commercial priorities, Panchmatia explained how DBS builds its AI models around customer understanding. The bank uses a variety of methods, including surveys and sophisticated anthropology studies, to gather insights. “We sit down with client groups and observe,” Panchmatia said. By understanding customer needs before making decisions, the bank can ensure that AI-driven offers are relevant and beneficial.

The human angle of transformation

A successful transformation requires looking at all the components—technology, people, and processes—and understanding their collective impact, according to Panchmatia.

“What does this mean for the people in the organisation? What does it mean for the tech stack? What does it mean for the customers, the regulators, and any other stakeholders?” Panchmatia emphasised the importance of stakeholder mapping, assessing both potential successes and failures.

It’s through this holistic approach that banks can find the right balance between technology and people.

He stated, “If you change your branch system… is it a big tech project? Yes. Is it a bigger people project? For sure.”

Data responsibility

With AI becoming a standard feature of banking, the question of data ethics has risen to the forefront. Banks are increasingly tasked with managing not only structured data but also unstructured information.

In the finance industry, unstructured data can be found in various forms such as emails, social media posts, news articles, customer reviews, legal documents, and multimedia files. Unlike structured data, which is neatly organised in tables with a predefined format, unstructured data is not systematically arranged. It often consists of large amounts of text or multimedia content, making it more challenging to analyse and interpret.

With the rise of unstructured data comes an increased risk of misinterpretation, requiring clear guidelines to ensure responsible use.

At DBS, a protocol known as “P.U.R.E” governs this process. This structure reflects a growing industry-wide movement toward transparency, especially as more countries tighten their data regulations.

“Whatever you do must fit all these (P.U.R.E) parameters,” Panchmatia explained, emphasising that “the unsurprising and easy-to-explain part (in P.U.R.E) became a little more dynamic” when working with unstructured data.

Globally, banks are establishing similar frameworks to foster transparency and accountability in AI applications, aligning with regulatory shifts that prioritise customer privacy.

In Singapore, where DBS is headquartered, stringent data privacy laws require financial institutions to be meticulous about data governance. In June 2023, the Monetary Authority of Singapore released a toolkit for the responsible use of AI in the financial system called the Veritas Toolkit version 2.0 that will help financial institutions (FIs) carry out the assessment methodologies for the Fairness, Ethics, Accountability and Transparency (FEAT) principles.

Implementation of data integrity

In terms of data, Panchmatia explained that it is unsurprising for both the users who are handling it and the customers who are receiving it. Customers don’t have to question why they’re receiving certain information. “If you come to me and say, – why did you send me this notification – I need to be able to explain this to you.”

From a technical perspective, having the right tools and infrastructure in place for data is crucial, shared Panchmatia.

“If you’re going to build the model right, you’ve got to register it first.” This ensures accountability and traceability, allowing data management to kick into the workflow efficiently. If the necessary steps aren’t followed, such as completing a proper assessment, data cannot be used effectively for model training or testing.

The importance of oversight cannot be understated, either. “We have a senior committee in the bank that ensures that data initiatives align with the company’s strategic objectives and risk appetite. It’s not just about purchasing the latest tools—it’s about being thoughtful and deliberate in how data is handled across the organisation.”

Pace of change and societal impact

Looking to the future, AI’s rapid pace of development requires banks to build flexibility into their systems.

Panchmatia noted, “What was really novel eight months ago is now old school,” illustrating the speed with which AI advancements are transforming the landscape. This ongoing evolution is prompting banks to make continuous updates to their AI frameworks.

Statista predicts the banking sector’s spending on generative artificial intelligence (AI) to surge to $85 billion by 2030, with a remarkable 55.6% compound annual growth rate.

Elaborating on the scale of AI in DBS, Panchmatia shared some numbers.

For example, DBS has delivered over 370 AI/machine learning use cases spanning customer-facing businesses and support functions, and 1,500 AI/ML models to date (as of November 2024). It has also managed to compress time to value from 12 to 15 months down to two to three months, with the  goal is to bring it down further to two to three weeks over the next few years; the bank said it has delivered a tangible economic impact of over S$370 million ($276.5 million) in 2023, S$700 – 800 million in 2024, and projected S$1 billion in 2025, working on its AI industrialisation approach.

Beyond technical agility, banks are grappling with the societal impacts of AI, particularly in terms of workforce transformation. While automation may streamline certain functions, new roles requiring specialised skills in AI and data analytics are emerging.

“It’s important to consider societal impact,” Panchmatia emphasised, adding that while AI might replace some roles, it will create others requiring upskilling and reskilling.

Beyond AI

Meanwhile, emerging technologies such as quantum computing and blockchain interoperability are also poised to expand the capabilities of banking AI. Quantum computing, with its potential to enhance complex risk assessments and fraud detection, is being tested through proof-of-concept initiatives in leading banks.

“We are doing some POCs with quantum,” Panchmatia explained, though he noted that large-scale banking applications may still be a few years away.

Blockchain’s progress hinges on interoperability; should these issues be resolved, decentralised finance (DeFi) could become a viable option for more banks, according to him.


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Eza Hill expands into Indonesia with deals for three logistics hubs | FinanceAsia

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Eza Hill Property Management, a Singapore-based real asset business backed by Rava Partners, the real assets strategy of Hillhouse, has acquired three Indonesian logistics hubs from LILV Portfolio, a fund managed by ESR Group for $148 million.

The investment comprises a portfolio of three logistics assets in Greater Jakarta totaling 137,000 sqm of built-up net lettable area (NLA). In addition, two of the properties also have 274,000 sqm of developable NLA which Eza Hill could develop to further grow the portfolio.

The properties are in the industrial and logistics sub-markets of Cikarang, Cibitung and Cileungsi which cater to different stages of the supply chain from production to last-mile delivery. The asset in Cikarang is located within a manufacturing cluster with strong warehouse demand from factories and assembly, while the assets in Cibitung and Cileungsi are connected via toll roads and demand from e-commerce, fast moving consumer goods and last-mile delivery tenants, according to a media release. 

The deals are Eza Hill’s maiden acquisition in Indonesia as it looks to grow beyond Singapore into the Southeast Asia (SEA) region.

Frank Ng Tze Wei, co-founder and chief investment officer at Eza Hill, said, “We had envisioned for Eza Hill to be a regional player, and this strategic acquisition marks an important step in that direction.”

Wei continued: “Expanding into Indonesia, as the largest economy in SEA and the fourth most populous country in the world, is strategic because it is key to riding the medium-term demographic and economic trends in the region in the next five to 10 years. Furthermore, the portfolio has significant scale, and the acquisition provides a sizeable presence in the Jakarta market.” 

Joe Gagnon, co-head of Rava Partners, said: “We see great potential for growth in the SEA market. We are building our expertise to operate in these markets and are excited to create value for our investors and take advantage of these opportunities.”


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FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024: the winners | FinanceAsia

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FinanceAsia ‘s&nbsp, annual Achievement Awards recognise excellence across the divers financial markets of Asia Pacific ( Apac ) and the Middle East.

The Achievement Awards, which span five distinct categories, include Deal Honors for Apac and the Middle East, House Awards for Apac and the Middle East, and our Dealmaker Poll, show the achievements of major players in these areas as well as those who have shown commitment to their industry.

We’re pleased to announce that the judging process for this year’s awards has now come to an end after receiving almost 1, 000 submissions from our Advisory Board of external specialists and the help of our editorial staff.

Below are the types and winners’ respective links. &nbsp,

The logic behind success collection will get published in our upcoming&nbsp, FinanceAsia&nbsp, reports. Please call the&nbsp, FinanceAsia staff if you have any concerns. &nbsp,

You see all the winners below: &nbsp,

FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024: Apac’s best talks

FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024: Middle East’s best offers

FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024: Dealmaker Poll finalists

FinanceAsia&nbsp, Achievement Awards 2024: Apac’s best funding homes

FinanceAsia&nbsp, Achievement Awards 2024: Middle East’s best funding houses

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Strong dollar paradox trolling Donald Trump – Asia Times

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The economy’s march since Donald Trump’s election defeat on November 5 is destined to have a run-in with the US president-elect himself, and quickly. Trump’s programs to implement massive tariffs on products entering the US while lowering local taxes are the underlying cause of the greenback’s boom. That’s why, in the days after the election, the dollar ]… ]

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BRICS+ nations determined to trade in their own currencies – Asia Times

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Instead of relying solely on a few major economies, notably the US dollar and the euro, the BRICS countries are looking into ways to encourage greater use of native economies in business. The forum for cooperation among nine leading emerging economies – Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Russian Federation, South Africa, United Arab Emirates ]… ]

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FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024: Apac’s best deals revealed | FinanceAsia

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Excellence in Asia’s financial markets is recognized annually with our Success Awards. Our Achievement Awards, which span two crucial categories– Package Awards and House Awards– emphasize the achievements of key players in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East who have demonstrated dedication to their industry.

We’re pleased to announce that the judging process for this year’s awards has now come to an end after receiving almost 1, 000 submissions from our Advisory Board of external specialists and the help of our editorial staff.

Please consider below a list of this week’s victors of the&nbsp, Deal Awards- Apac&nbsp, type.

The logic behind success collection will get published in our upcoming&nbsp, FinanceAsia reports. It is not a comprehensive list because we have listed the participants who participated based on research and awards entries. Please call the&nbsp, FinanceAsia group if you have any concerns. &nbsp,

North Asia = Japan, South Korea, Taiwan&nbsp,

South Asia = India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka

Southeast Asia = Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam

 

&gt, BEST BOND DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

CSL Financial’s$ 1.25 billion dual-tranche 144A/Reg S top giving

Members: Citi, Bank of America, JP Morgan, HSBC

Highly commended: AOFM’s invitational$ 7 billion efficient government bond

Members: &nbsp, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Deutsche Bank, National Australia Bank, UBS, Australia Branch, Westpac Banking Corporation

Chinese- Abroad

3-year, responsible dim-sum bond issued by Jingzhou Municipal Urban Development Holding Group

Members: &nbsp, Bank of China, Caitong International, Industrial Securities, CSC Financial, CITIC Securities, CMB Wing Lung Bank, CMBC Capital, CNCB Investment, Guolian Securities, Guoyuan International, Haitong International, ICBC International, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, Shenwan Hongyuan Securities, SPDB International, TF worldwide, CICC

Chinese- Inland

National Bank of Canada’s Rmb5 billion 2-year tiger relationship release

Members: Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank, DBS, CITIC Securities, CMB Securities

Highly commended: China Baowu Steel Group’s Rmb10 billion business relationship release

Members: CITIC Securities, Guotai Junan Securities, Shenwan Hongyuan Securities, CICC

&nbsp, HONG KONG Radar / APAC

HKSAR’s USD&amp, EUR&amp, CNH multi-currency natural tie giving

Members: Crédit Agricole, HSBC, Citi, JP Morgan, BNP Paribas, BofA, Morgan Stanley, UBS, Mizuho, Bank of China Hong Kong, ICBC Asia, Bank of Communications, Standard Chartered

Highly commended: ILBS 2 by Bauhinia

Members: Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation, CICC, ING Bank, MUFG, Natixis, Standard Chartered

NORTH ASIA

LG Electronic’s$ 500 million 144A/Reg S 3-year and$ 300 million 5-year two round

Members: BNP Paribas, Citi, HSBC, JP Morgan, Korea Development Bank, Standard Chartered

SINGAPORE

Exams ‘$ 500 million unprotected fixed rate documents due 2029

Members: DBS, BNP Paribas, MUFG, OCBC, HSBC

Highly commended: Yinson Production’s$ 500 million older secured 5-year relationship release

Members: Standard Chartered, Holman Fenwick Willan, Stephenson Harwood, collaboration of 13 loans

SOUTH ASIA

Kashf’s PKR2.5 billion female connection release

Members: Infra Zamin Pakistan, Arif Habib, Pakistan Credit Rating Agency, Vellani &amp, Vellani, Pak Brunei Investment Company, Bank Alfalah, Bank of Pubjab, Standard Chartered Pakistan

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ PHILIPPINES

Maynilad Water Services PHP15 billion orange ties

Members: BPI Capital, BDO Capital &amp, Investment, First Metro Investment, East West Banking

&nbsp, MALAYSIA / HIGHLY COMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA)

Asean Green moderate term papers under RM500 million Exio Logistics clean centers

Members: Hong Leong Investment Bank

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA) THAILAND

Minor International’s THB billion securities via private location

Members: Standard Chartered, Bangkok Bank, Bank of Ayudhya Public Company, Kasikornbank, Krungthai Bank, Kiatnakin Phatra Securities, The Siam Commercial Bank

INDONESIA

Republic of Indonesia$ 2.05 billion international bond giving

Participants: ANZ, BofA Securities, Deutsche Bank ( Singapore ), Morgan Stanley, UBS ( Singapore ), BRI Danereksa Sekuritas, Trimegah Sekuritas Indonesia, Mayer Brown

VIETNAM

Hai An Transport and Stevedoring JSC’s VND500 billion foldable relationship

Members: SSI Securities

 

&gt, BEST EQUITY DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

A$ 1.435 billion block trade in Worley

Members: Citi, Goldman Sachs, Allens

Highly commended: Treasury Wine Estate’s A$ 825 million Paitreo to support get DAOU Vineyards

Members: UBS, Macquarie Capital

Chinese- Abroad / APAC

Alibaba’s$ 5 billion convertible bond &nbsp,$ 1.2 billion parallel stock purchase

Members: Citi, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, HSBC

Highly commended: &nbsp, Lotus Tech’s company mixture with L Catterton, people listing in the US through a De-SPAC design, approximately$ 880 million of personal investment in public equity funding and convertible information

Members: Han Kun Law, Skadden, Kirkland &amp, Ellis, Fangda Partners&nbsp,

Chinese- Inland 

Sinopec’s A-share personal position

Members: CICC, Guangfa Securities, CITIC Securities

HONG KONG Radar

Zhejiang Expressway’s HK$ 6.7 billion &nbsp, right issue

Members: BNP Paribas, DBS, CLSA, CICC, Zheshang International

Alibaba’s$ 5 billion convertible bond $ 1.2 billion parallel share buyback

 

Members: Citi, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, HSBC

SINGAPORE

Personal position and preferred giving for CapitaLand Integrated Commercial REIT for S$ 1.1 billion

Members: United Overseas Bank, JP Morgan, Venture Law, Allen &amp, Gledhill

Highly commended: Reverse&nbsp, takover of 3Cnergy by DTP Inter Holdings Corporation for a consideration of approximately S$ 443.8 million &nbsp,

Members: PrimePartners Corporation Finance, Allen &amp, Gledhill LLP

SOUTH ASIA

JSW Energy’s$ 600 million qualified administrative position

Members: Jefferies India, Khaitan &amp, Co, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas &amp, Co

Highly commended: &nbsp, Vodafone Idea’s$ 2.15 billion follow-on open offering of capital stock

Members: Axis Capital, Jefferies, SBI Capital, Sidley Austin, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas &amp, Co, AZB &amp, Lovers

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Bursa Malaysia Offering for Johor Plantations Group

Members: RHB Investment Bank, AmInvestment Bank, CIMB Investment Bank, CLSA Singapore, CLSA Securities Malaysia, Affin Hwang Investment Bank

Highly commended: &nbsp, San Miguel Corporation’s PHP34 billion preferred shares&nbsp,

Members: &nbsp, SB Capital, Bank of Commerce, BDO Capital &amp, Investment, China Bank Capital, Asia United Bank, Bank of Commerce, BPI Capital, Land Bank of the Philippines, PNB Capital and Investment, RCBC Capital, Union Bank of the Philippines

 

&gt, BEST INFRASTRUCTURE DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

Blackstone’s merger of Airtrunk

Members: Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, RCBC Capital Markets, Macquarie Capital, Goldman Sachs

Highly commended: Contact Energy’s suggested merger of Manawa Energy

Members: UBS New Zealand, Cameron Partners/Rothschild &amp, Co, Lazard Australia, Bell Gully, Harmos Horton Lusk

Chinese- Inland

CAMC-China Resources TBEA Renewable Energy’s Closed-end Infrastructure Securities Investment Fund

Members: CITIC Securities, China Asset Management, Agricultural Bank of China, Zhong Lun Law Firm

HONG KONG Radar

ILBS 2 by Bauhinia

Members: CICC, ING Bank, MUFG, Natixis, Standard Chartered

SINGAPORE / APAC

Yinson Boronia Movie’s annual project relationship with a$ 1.035 billion Top Secured Notes expected 2042

Members: Santander, Citi, Norton Rose Fulrbright, Cescon Barrieu

Highly commended: Stonepeak’s very structured preferred corporate investment into AGP Sustainable Real Assets

Members: Sidley Austin, Clifford Chance, King &amp, Wood Mallesons, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas &amp, Co, NautaDutilh, Burness Paull, WongPartnership, Setterwalls Advokatbyra&nbsp,

SOUTH ASIA

AdaniConneX’s$ 1.44 billion Sustainability-Linked Project Finance for an under-construction information centre investment in India

Members: ING Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, KfW IPEX, MUFG, Natixis, Standard Chartered, Societe Generale, SMBC

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ INDONESIA

ADIA and APG’s acquisition of a 53.5 % stake in Rafflesia Investasi&nbsp,

Members: Rothschild &amp, Co

&nbsp, PHILIPPINES / HIGHLY COMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA)

New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation’s PHP80 billion syndicated name loan service

Participants: Bank of Commerce, BDO Capital &amp, Investment, Asia United Bank, China Bank Capital, SB Capital Investment, BDO Unibank, China Banking, Development Bank of the Philippines, Security Bank

MALAYSIA

Worldwide Holdings ‘ RM999 million syndicated clean leasing facility

Members: Maybank Investment Bank

VIETNAM

Petrovietnam Power’s XNhon Trach 3&amp, 4 Energy Flower

Members: Citi, ING

 

&gt, BEST Offering &lt,

Chinese- Abroad

J&amp, T Express ‘$ 500 million identifying on HKEX

Participants: CICC, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Securities, UBS AG ( HK), CCB International Capital, CMB International Capital, Huatai Financial, BOCI Asia, ABCI Capital

Chinese- Inland 

Grandtop Yongxing’s Rmb2.43 billion Offering

Members: CITIC Securities, Guotai Junan Securities

HONG KONG Radar /APAC

Super Hi’s double list on Nasdaq

Members: Kirkland &amp, Ellis, Skadden, Arendt, Loyens, Freshfields, Linklaters and Fried Frank, White &amp, Event

Highly commended: &nbsp, QuantumPharm’s identifying on HKEX

Members: CLSA, CITIC Securities, CICC, Jefferies, Deutsche Bank, CMB International, Sidley Austin, Fangda Partners, Herbert Smith Freehills, JunHe, PwC

NORTH ASIA

Kokusai Electric ‘s&nbsp, ¥124.5 billion ($ 831.7 million ) &nbsp, listing on Tokyo Stock Exchange

Participants: KKR ( GP), Mitsubishi UFJ Securities

SOUTH ASIA

NRB Bank’s BDT1 billion naming in Bangladesh

Members: UCB Investment, Shahjalal Equity Management

Highly commended: OLA Electronic’s list in India

Members: Kotak Mahindra Capital, Citi, BofA Securities, Goldman Sachs, Axis Capital, ICICI Securities, SBI Capital Markets, BOB Capital Markets

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Speed Mart Retail Holdings RM13.9 billion Investor on Bursa Malaysia

Members: CIMB, Affin Hwang Investment Bank, RHB Investment Bank, Lee Choon Wan &amp, Co

Highlgy commended: Johor Plantations Group’s RM735 million Offering on Bursa Malaysia

Members: RHB Investment Bank, Latham &amp, Watkins, AmInvestment Bank, CIMBC Investment Bank, CLSA Singapore, CLSA Securities Malaysia, Affin Hwang Investment Bank

 

&gt, BEST ISLAMIC FINANCE DEALS &lt,

SINGAPORE

Wealthy Pink’s S$ 2.7 billion normal expression product and Muslim Murabahah features

Members: DBS Bank, Malayan Banking Singapore branch, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Singapore branch, United Overseas Bank ( UOB), Allen &amp, Gledhill

SOUTH ASIA

Islamic Bank Bangladesh ‘s&nbsp, BDT8 billion Mudaraba convertible, non-convertible, unsecured subordinated bond

Members: UCB Investment

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ APAC / INDONESIA

Republic of Indonesia’s$ 2.35 billion 144A sukuk offering

Members: MUFG, Citi, Dubai Islamic Bank, HSBC, Mandiri Securities, BRI Danareksa Sekurta, PR Trimegah Sekuritas Indonesia

Extremely RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA)/ MALAYSIA

Gold Formula ABS’s sukuk, up to RM94.81 million in differenent tranches

Members: New Paradigm Securities, Silver Formula Capital, Public Investment Bank, Adnan Sundra &amp, Low

PHILIPPINES

Republic of Philippines ‘ Sukuk Trust’s$ 1 billion issuing

Members: Citi, Deutsche Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, HSBC, MUFG, Standard Chartered

 

&gt, BEST M&amp, A DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND / APAC

Obayashi Corporation acquires 50 % of Eastland Generation for a$ 503 million implied business benefit.

Members: Forsyth Barr, Chapman Tripp

Highly commended: PSP Consortium’s A$ 2.5 billion merger of Costa Group

Members: Citi, JP Morgan, Allen &amp, Gledhill, Kirkland &amp, Ellis

Chinese- Abroad

Grifols ‘ Sale of 20 % stake in Shanghai RAAS to Haier for$ 1.8 billion

Members: Nomura Securties, CICC, Osborne Clarke, JunHe, Clifford Chance, King &amp, Wood Mallesons

Highly commended: &nbsp, Royal Golden Eagle’s CNH15 billion syndicated payment for the acquisition of Vinda International Holdings

Participants: Bank of China Macau, BNP Paribas, CICC, Linklaters

Chinese- Inland 

$ 8.3 billion sale of 60 % stake in Zhuhai Wanda to PAG-led consortium

Members: Deutsche Bank

Highly commended: &nbsp, NISCO merger by CITIC Pacific&nbsp,

Members: CITIC Securities

HONG KONG Radar

Asia Pacific Resources International’s HK$ 21.6 billion volunteer public present for Vinda International Holdings

Members: HSBC, Norton Rose Fulbright, Bank of America, BNP Paribas, CICC

Highly commended: &nbsp, HKT price of 40 % stake in its silent community resources to China Merchants Capital

Members: Deutsche Bank, Clifford Chance

NORTH ASIA

Renesas Electronics ‘ 100 % merger of Altium

Members: &nbsp, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, King &amp, Wood Mallesons, Reed Smith, DLA Piper, Covington &amp, Burling, Nagashima Ohno &amp, Tsunematsu&nbsp,

Highly commended: &nbsp, WT Microelectronics ‘$ 3.8 billion merger of Future Electronics&nbsp,

Members: &nbsp, Citi, Canaccord Genuity Corp., Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &amp, Flom, Osler, Hoskin &amp, Harcourt, Tsar &amp, Tsai Law Firm, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glocsky and Popeo, P. C.

SINGAPORE

Purchase of Eu Yan Sang to a consortium led by Mitsui & Co. and Rohto Pharmaceutical

Members: Deutsche Bank, UBS, Wong Partnership

SOUTH ASIA

MHIL’s consolidation of Sahara Hospital

Members: Standard Chartered

Highly commended: &nbsp, Acquisition by Saudi Aramco Oil Company of a 40 % stake in Gas and Oil Pakistan&nbsp,

Members: Standard Chartered

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ THAILAND

Acquisition of 65.99 % shares in Esso ( Thailand ) Public Company by Bangchak Corporation Public Company

Members: Kiatnakin Phatra Securities, JP Morgan, DLA Piper

Highly commended: ThaiBev return from home business via promote transfer

Members: DBS, WongPartnership

INDONESIA 

&nbsp, Medco Energi Internasional’s$ 713 million acquisition of a 20 % interest in each of Block 60 and Block 48

Members: Standard Chartered

MALAYSIA 

Purchase of Ramsay Sime Darby Health CA by Columbia Asset Healthcate and Sime Darby Healthcare

Members: Deutsche Bank

PHILIPPINES 

Merger between Robinsons Bank and Bank of the Philippine Islands

Members: BPI Corporation

VIETNAM

Thomson Medical Group’s merger of FV Hospital

Members: Maybank Investment Bank

 

&gt, BEST PRIVATE EQUITY DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND / APAC

Blackstone’s merger of Airtrunk

 Members: Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, RCBC Capital Markets, Macquarie Capital, Goldman Sachs

Chinese- Abroad

Carlyle on sales of curiosity in McDonald’s China to McDonald’s Company

Members: &nbsp, Kirkland &amp, Ellis, JunHe, Jones Day

Highly commended: &nbsp, Advent International’s acquisition of a 29 % interest in Seek Pet Food

Participants: Boyu Capital ( investor )

HONG KONG Radar

PAG’s$ 8.3 billion Joint Investment in Newland Commercial Management

Members: Simpson Thacher &amp, Bartlett, A&amp, O Shearman

NORTH ASIA

Carlyle Group’s merger of KFC Holdings Japan

Members: Kirkland &amp, Ellis, Nishimura &amp, Asahi, Linklaters, Mori Hamada &amp, Matsumoto, Nagashima Ohno &amp, Tsunematsu&nbsp,

Highly commended: &nbsp, Blackstone’s sales of Geo-Young to MBK lovers

Members: &nbsp, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Samsung Securities, K&amp, C Cleary Gottlieb, Steen &amp, Hamilton LLP, Ropes &amp, Gray

SOUTH ASIA

ani’s Ispahani’s acquisition of a small interest in Tampaco Sheets

Members: UCB Investment, Farooq & Associates

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Asia Pacific Education Holdings ‘ sale of the APIIT Education Group to TPG’s The Rise Funds ( stake sold by KV Asia Capital )

Members: Rahmat Lim &amp, Partners, &nbsp,

Highly commended: BlackRock’s Climate Finance Partnership’s funding in Ditrolic Energy

Members: Clifford Chance

 

&gt, BEST PROJECT FINANCE DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

MREH’s A$ 400 million debt funding

Members: &nbsp, Société Générale, Westpac, Standard Chartered, Export Development Canada, White &amp, Case, Ashurst

Chinese- Inland 

CSPC’s$ 5.5 billion term loan and a$ 450 million working capital facility

Members: CNOOC Finance Corporation, Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications, Zhong Lun Law Company

NORTH ASIA

&nbsp, ARE’s 20-year c. TWD8.25 billion job financing

Members: CTBC Bank, MUFG, E. SUN Bank, SMBC, Standard Chartered, KGI

SINGAPORE / APAC

BIC V investment size of approximately$ 508.3 million

Members: Citi, Standard Chartered, MUFG, Natixis, Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation, &nbsp, Société Générale

SOUTH ASIA

Serentica’s venture funding of 200 MW RTC

Members: Société Générale, Cooperative Rabobank U. A., Export-Import Bank of India, India Infrastructure Finance Company, MUFG, YES Bank, KKR, Twinstar Overseas, Dentons, Luthra &amp, Luthra, Norton Rose Fulbright

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ INDONESIA

Climmangis Citibung Tollways CDS hospital

Members: Indonesia Infrastructure Fund, BNI, &nbsp, Siahaan Indarmis, Andarumi &amp, Partners

Extremely RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA)/ MALAYSIA

World Holdings ‘ spare to power project

Participants: Bank

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA ) PHILIPPINES

AltEnergy’s PHP8 billion top safe word product

Members: BPI Capital, Security Bank

VIETNAM 

Petrovietnam Power Company’s Nohn Trach 3&amp, 4 Energy Flower

Members: Citi, ING

 

&gt, BEST PROPERTY DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

Blackstone’s merger of Airtrunk

Members: Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, RCBC Capital Markets, Macquarie Capital, Goldman Sachs

Chinese- Abroad

Bain Capital’s$ 250 million cooperative venture with DNE for China New Economy Network

Participants ( legal advisors ): Kirkland &amp, Ellis, King &amp, Wood Mallesons&nbsp,

Chinese- Inland

Link REIT’s acquisition of China Vanke’s 50 % stake in Link Plaza Qibao

Participants ( legal advisors ): Zhong Lun Law Firm, Cushman &amp, Wakefield

HONG KONG Radar

HK$ 14.438 billion sustainability-linked syndicated term and revolving loan facilities for 16 borrowers, sponsored by Gateway Real Estate Fund V L. P., Gateway V Co-Investment ( Doris ), L. P. (” Gaw” ), Great Wall Pan Asia Holdings Limited (” Great Wall” ) and GLQ Broad Street Holdings Ltd

Members: ANZ, Standard Chartered, UOB

SINGAPORE

Supreme JV Holding Pte Ltd | Lendlease &amp, Warburg Pincus ‘ S$ 1.065 billion top secured term loan and lender ensure features

Members: DBS, HSBC, UOB

Highly commended: &nbsp, Digital Core REIT’s$ 120 million personal location

Members: DBS, Citi, Bank of America, BNP Paribas, OCBC, UOB

SOUTHEAST ASIA

 SOUTHEAST ASIA/ APAC / THAILAND

 ThaiBev’s exit from the property business via a share swap with its parent for majority ownership in F&N

Members: DBS

&nbsp, INDONESIA / HIGHLY COMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA )

PT Putragaya Wahana has a top secured alternative payment service worth IDR 3.7 trillion and a term loan facility.

Participants: UOB

MALAYSIA

ESIM Capital’s green SRI sukuk

Participants: New Paradigm, UOB ( Malaysia )

PHILIPPINES

Vista Land’s$ 300million 9.375 % senior unsecured fixed rate notes due 2029

Members: DBS, HSBC, Union Bank of the Philippines

 

&gt, BEST STRUCTURED FINANCE DEAL &lt,

Chinese- Abroad

The acquisition of Hollysys Automation Technologies Ltd. by Ascendent Capital Partners&nbsp,

Participants: Industrial Bank HK

Chinese- Inland 

CMB Financial Leasing Co., Ltd’s ( CMBFL ) Rmb1.6 billion Sustainable Development Loan&nbsp,

Participants: MUFG, SMBC, Fubon, Bank of China, Bank of Shanghai

Highly commended: &nbsp, Xinyue’s Rmb600 million Micro Business Loan ABN from Qifu Technology,

Participants: HSBC

HONG KONG Radar / APAC

ILBS 2 by Bauhinia

Members: CICC, ING Bank, MUFG, Natixis, Standard Chartered

Highly commended: The acquisition of Hollysys Automation Technologies Ltd. by Ascendent Capital Partners&nbsp,

Participants: Industrial Bank HK

NORTH ASIA

WT Microelectronics and Morrihan International Corp’s$ 3.8 billion Bridge Facility

Participants: Citi

Highly commended: &nbsp, Korean Airline’s$ 208 million-equivalent Samurai Sustainability-Linked Loan

Participants: MUFG, SMBC

SINGAPORE

CIS ‘ Senior Secured S$ 300 million Bridge S$ 280 million Take Out Term Loan Facility

Members: DBS, Deutsche Bank, UOB KayHian

Highly commended: &nbsp, The government of Singapore’s S$ 2.5 billion green bonds

Members: DBS, Deutsche Bank, UOB KayHian

SOUTH ASIA

Fund raise of Rs4.65 billion ($ 56 million ) for Aliens Developers Private Ltd&nbsp,

Participants: Azalea Capital Partners

SOUTHEAST ASIA&nbsp,

Ayala Land’s PHP6 billion Asean sustainability linked bond

Participants: BDO Capital, BPI Capital, China Bank Capital, Land Bank of the Phiippines, SB Capital, RCBC Capital )

Highly commended: &nbsp, Exsim Capital Resources ‘ tranche 5 Asean green SRI sukuk

Participants: New Paradigm

 

&gt, BEST SUSTAINABLE FINANCE DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

Cromwell Property Group’s A$ 1.2 billion Green and Sustainability-Linked Loan&nbsp,

Participants: ANZ, Bank of China Sydney, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, CBA, Credit Agricole, ING Bank, NAB, Societe Generale

Highly commended: &nbsp, MCP Wholesale Investment Trust’s A$ 500 million Sustainability-Linked Revolving Credit Facility

Members: Standard Chartered

Chinese- Abroad

Bank of China’s CNH and USD multi-tranche BRI-partner sustainability notes

Participants: HSBC

Highly commended: &nbsp, China Construction Bank Financial Leasing’s$ 150 million Long Term Transition Shipping Finance

Members: Standard Chartered

HONG KONG Radar

West Kowloon Cultural District Authority’s HK$ 5 billion sustainability-linked term and revolving facilities

Members: Standard Chartered

NORTH ASIA

Posco’s$ 500 million 3-year Green 144A/Reg S senior unsecured bond

Participants: HSBC

Highly commended: Far Eastern New Century’s NTD2.5 billion Corporate Sustainable Exchangeable Bond

Participants: KGI Securities, SinoPac Bank, Oriental Securities

SINGAPORE

Impact Investment Exchange’s$ 88 million 4-year Women’s Livelihood Bond

Participants: ANZ, Standard Chartered

Highly commended: EJA’s$ 500 million Revolving Credit Facility

Members: Standard Chartered

SOUTH ASIA

AdaniConneX’s$ 875 million syndicated sustainability-linked loan

Members: ING Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, KfW IPEX, MUFG, Natixis, Standard Chartered, Societe Generale, SMBC

Highly commended: Kashf’s PKR2.5 billion female connection release

Participants: &nbsp, Infra Zamin Pakistan, Arif Habib, Pakistan Credit Rating Agency, Vellani &amp, Vellani, Pak Brunei Investment Company, Bank Alfalah, Bank of Pubjab, Standard Chartered Pakistan

 SOUTHEAST ASIA/ APAC / MALAYSIA

Exism Capital Resources ‘ special purpose funding vehicle ( RM3 billion )

Participants: NewParadigm Securities, United Overseas Bank ( UOB ) Malaysia, Adnan Sundra &amp, Lo

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA ) PHILIPPINES

partnership between Rizal Commercial Banking and Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation ( CREC )

Participants: Rizal Commercial Banking

INDONESIA 

Republic of Indonesia$ 2 billion dual-tranche trust certificates

Participants: CIMB, Citigroup Global Markets, Dubai Islamic Bank, Mandiri Securities, Standard Chartered, White &amp, Case, Trimegah Sekuritas, BRI Danareksa Sekuritas, Thamrin &amp, Rekan

THAILAND 

Thai Union Group’s Thb11.5 billion sustainability-linked loan

Participants: MUFG

 

&gt, BEST SYNDICATED LOAN DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

Orora’s acquisition of Saverglass SAS

Participants: AFRY Capital, Citi, Macquarie Capital

Highly commended: &nbsp, Viva Energy A$ 1 billion Term Loan Facilities

Members: DBS, ANZ, Mizuho, MUFG, NAB, UOB, WBC, plus consortium of 22 lenders

Chinese- Abroad

Royal Golden Eagle’s CNH15 billion syndicated loan for the acquisition of Vinda International Holdings

Participants: Bank of China Macau Branch, BNP Paribas, CICC, Linklaters

Highly commended: Kuaishou’s 3-year CNH9 billion syndicated term loan facility

Participants: China Merchants Bank, Pudong Development Bank, CITIC Bank, Industrial Bank, Ping An Bank, HSBC China, Minsheng Bank, Bank of Beijing, Hang Seng Bank, Bank of Faba-Pakistan China, Standard Chartered China, Jiangsu Bank

HONG KONG Radar

United Asia Finance’s HK$ 3.9 million syndicated term loan and revolving credit facility

Members: Standard Chartered, China Zheshang Bank, KGI Bank, Bank Singpac, Nanyang Commercial Bank

Highly commended: &nbsp, ICBCIL Finance Company Limited’s$ 1 billion term loan facility

Participants: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China ( Asia ), Agricultural Bank of China Hong Kong, OCBC, Ping An Bank, Nanyang Commercial Bank, China Guangfa Bank, Bank of Communications, China CITIC Bank, Dah Sing Bank, DBS Bank, The Norinchukin Bank, The Korea Development Bank, Bank of China Frankfurt Branch, Chiyu Banking Corporation, Tai Fung Bank, Bank of China Rotterdam Branch, Banque Internationale a Luxembourg

SINGAPORE

Seatrium’s S$ 1.1 billion committed syndicated bank guarantee facility

Participants: Simmons &amp, Simmons, Standard Chartered, &nbsp, DBS Bank, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, Mizuho Bank, Emirates NBD Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Malayan Banking Berhad, Clifford Capital

Highly commended: &nbsp, Aircastle’s$ 600 million syndicated revolving credit facility

Participants: Bank of China, Caixa, CBA, SMTB, CUB, Taishin, plus lending consortium of 15 banks

SOUTH ASIA

JSW Steel Limited’s$ 900 million syndicated term loan facility

Members: DBS, BNP Paribas, CTBC, FAB, HSBC, Mashreq, Standard Chartered, SMBC, Intesa Sanpaolo, APICORP, CBD, DZ, BOT, CHCB, TIB, TBB, FCB, SBI Shinsei, BOK, LBT, TW Shin Kong, Taichung Commercial, TCB, San-in-Good, Hyakugo Bank

Highly commended: &nbsp, Beacon Pharmaceutical’s BDT3.768.8 billion syndicated term loan facility

Members: UCB Investment, Eastern Bank, Janata Bank, United Commercial Bank, Bank Asia, Jamuna Bank, ONE Bank, Rupali Bank

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ APAC / INDONESIA 

PT Mineral Industri Indonesia ( Persero )$ 1.5 billion senior unsecured term loan and revolving credit facilities

Members: DBS, Bank of China (Hong Kong), BNP Paribas, BNI, Citi, Maybank, Mizuho, MUFG, OCBC, SCB, SMBC, UOB

 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA) THAILAND

Syndicated financing of Thb7.6 billion for Italian-Thai Development Public Company

Participants: Weerawong C&P, Bangkok Bank, Kasikornbank, Siam Commercial Bank, Krung Thai Bank

 MALAYSIA 

LQ Retail and LQ Hotel have secured green term loans worth MR2 billion.

Participants: UOB&nbsp,

PHILIPPINES

San Miguel Corporation’s$ 2 billion five-year syndicated term loan facility

Participants ( according to sources cited by Bloomberg ): Standard Chartered, ANZ, Bank of China ( Hong Kong ), CTBC Bank, ING, Maybank Kim Eng Securities, Mitisubishi Financial Group, Mizuho Bank, Rabobank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking&nbsp,

VIETNAM 

Techcom Securities ‘$ 175 million syndicated loan facility

Members: Standard Chartered, CTCB Bank, Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank, Taishin International Bank, KGI Bank

 

&gt, BEST VENTURE CAPITAL DEALS &lt,

SINGAPORE

YouTrip’s$ 50 million Series B fundraising

Participants: Lightspeed Ventures ( lead investor ), Allen &amp, Gledhill

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ APAC 

Fano Labs investment by Openspace Ventures

Participants: Openspace Ventures ( lead investor )

 

&gt, MOST INNOVATIVE DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

&nbsp, Alcoa’s$ 3 billion acquisition of Alumina

Participants: BofA Securities, Flagstaff Partners, JP Morgan, UBS

Highly commended: &nbsp, CRH’s A$ 2.9 billion acquisition of Adbr

Participants: UBS, Macquarie, Barrenjoey, Morgan Stanley, Gilbert &amp, Tobin, HSF

Chinese- Abroad

The acquisition of Hollysys Automation Technologies Ltd. by Ascendent Capital Partners&nbsp,

Participant ( s ): Industrial Bank Hong Kong

Highly commended: Alibaba’s$ 5 billion convertible bond &nbsp,$ 1.2 billion parallel stock purchase

Members: Citi, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, HSBC

Chinese- Inland

Nanjing Iron and Steel Group’s acquisition by CITIC Pacific&nbsp,

Members: CITIC Securities

Highly commended: State Grid Overseas Investment’s Rmb1 billion panda bond issuance

Members: CITIC Securities, ICBC, Bank of China

HONG KONG Radar / APAC

Privatisation of L’Occitane

Participants ( legal advisors ): Kirkland &amp, Ellis, Skadden, Arendt, Loyens, Freshfields, Linklaters and Fried Frank, White &amp, Case&nbsp,

Highly commended: Super Hi’s double list on Nasdaq

Participants ( legal advisors ): Kirkland &amp, Ellis, Skadden, Arendt, Loyens, Freshfields, Linklaters and Fried Frank, White &amp, Case

Highly commended: HKSAR Government’s$ 750 million equivalent digital green bonds

Participants: Bank of China Hong Kong, Credit Agricole CIB, Goldman Sachs, ICBC Asia, UBS, HSBC

NORTH ASIA

SK Bioscience’s acquisition of 60 % stake in IDT group

Participants: Deutshce Bank, Commerzbank, Norddeutsche Landesbank, Sullivan &amp, Cromwell&nbsp,

SINGAPORE

STT GDC’s issuance of S$ 450 million 5.70 % sustainability-linked perpetual securities

Members: Standard Chartered

SOUTH ASIA

Refinancing for East India’s LNG Regasification Terminal Project in Dhamra, Odisha

Members: Standard Chartered

Highly commended: Kashf’s PKR2.5 billion female connection release

Members: Infra Zamin Pakistan, Arif Habib, Pakistan Credit Rating Agency, Vellani &amp, Vellani, Pak Brunei Investment Company, Bank Alfalah, Bank of Pubjab, Standard Chartered Pakistan

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ THAILAND

ThaiBev’s property exit and share swap

Members: DBS, WongPartnership

Highly recommended: the Filipino Aquino International Airport’s rehabilitation project, which offers PHP 80 billion syndicated term loans.

Participants: BDO Capital

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA ) PHILIPPINES

Ayala Land’s PHP6 billion sustainability-linked bonds

Participants: BDO Capital, BPI Capital, China Bank Capital, Land Bank of the Philippines, RCBC Capital, SB Capital Investment

INDONESIA

PT Charoen’s$ 200 million and IDR7.5 trillion senior revolving credit facilities&nbsp,

Participants: Citi, DBS, plus consortium of other banks

MALAYSIA

Bursa Malaysia Offering for Johor Plantations Group

Participants: CIMB, AM Investment Bank, Affin Hwang Investment Bank, CLSA Singapore, CLSA Securities Malaysia

 

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CBRE hires Hugh Macdonald as Apac head of capital advisers | FinanceAsia

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In: Asia, Finance, South-East Asia

CBRE, a US real estate and investment firm, has appointed veteran investment banker Hugh Macdonald as head of capital advisers for Asia Pacific.

Starting his role in Sydney on November 18, Macdonald will relocate to Singapore in the first quarter of 2025, according to a company media release. 

Macdonald (pictured) is joining CBRE from Deutsche Bank, where he was most recently head of investment banking coverage and advisory for Australia and New Zealand. He was at the German bank for over 16 years, according to his LinkedIn profile. 

He has previoulsy worked at Citi, Morgan Stanley and Bankers Trust, and has experience in real estate, gaming, leisure, and lodging sectors across M&A, financing, and capital markets.  

Macdonald has originated and executed many large transactions across Apac and will report to Leo van den Thillart, global head of investment banking, and Greg Hyland, head of capital markets, Apac.

Commenting in a media release, Hyland said: “Our capital advisors business has experienced exceptional growth in Apac, raising over $3.5 billion of capital in the past 18 months. With Hugh’s established relationships, we are confident in expanding our investment banking services across the region, providing top-tier capital markets, M&A, and strategic solutions to our clients.”

Macdonald added: “I’m eager to collaborate with my new colleagues to enhance the value we provide to our clients, meeting their diverse capital requirements and driving business growth throughout the Apac region.”

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Lease financing key to unlocking a green energy bonanza – Asia Times

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In: Asia, Finance

Although spending on oil, gas, and coal for the first time may reach US$ 3 trillion in 2024, but economic considerations are putting off some jobs.

In its World Energy Investment 2024 report, the Paris-based International Energy Agency stated that” some types of investment are being hampered by higher borrowing costs since the age of cheap loans ends.”

According to Samuel Sun, chairman of the Asia Development and Investment Bank, a local plan banks with branches in Hong Kong and Malaysia, lease financing, a staple of the travel equipment market, may enable funding for projects that may not have access to conventional funding.

In order to commit$ 140 billion in rent funding for alternative energy over the next five years, ADIB and DeepGreenX, an AI provider that provides project management and graphite trading services, recently teamed up.

The ADIB ally to DeepGreenX does create critical mass in the market for efficient energy equipment, as leasing made it possible for the current auto and aircraft industries.

Because products leases can be reorganized into asset-backed stocks and resold to investors, ADIB’s$ 140 billion commitment may allow for many larger equipment sales. The US market for car leases is$ 30 billion, whereas the US market for airplane leases is probably only half that size.

Large state subsidies have n’t been effective in halting renewable energy projects in Europe and the rest of the world, mostly because technology is expensive upfront. Instead of paying upfront the entire investment amount, lease funding allows project operators to pay for equipment use outside of operating cash flow.

The international level of project financing may be significantly affected by the ADIB-DeepGreenX approach. Coherent Market Insights, an India-based market intelligence and consulting firm, wrote earlier this year,” The global solar lease&nbsp, service&nbsp, market size is estimated to be valued at&nbsp,$ 14.84 billion in 2023&nbsp, and is expected to reach$ 49.26 billion by 2030″. The ADIB program’s size is significantly greater than the company’s estimates for the contract business.

A big business can be transformed by the right kind of finance. Before 1983, home loan financing in the US was the province of more than 11, 000 prudence organizations, constrained by their local conditions.

Cash-rich savings in the Northeast of the US was n’t contribute to cash-strapped consumers in the Sunbelt. The US experienced a housing bubble as a result of mortgage security, which mobilized benefits.

Contract borrowing has specific advantages for green energy technology, according to Samuel Sun, a task finance veteran who serves as ADIB’s president.

“60 to 70 % of the cost of a job is in tools”, Sun said in an exam. The buyer and the job owner are under a lot of pressure due to the high cost of the equipment. To solve that kind of issue, we are attempting to apply contract financing. That’s the upcoming model of clean power company. The best way to use low-cost cash to support clean energy projects is through it. In the automotive and aerospace industries, there are effective versions.

” We merely signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia”, ADIB’s Sun explained. ” They will buy 100, 000 Chinese cars, mainly EVs, for government and public use. The property will stay on the automakers ‘ books because they will lease them rather than purchase them. We use Central Bank Digital Currency to buy the trucks, transform the property, spend the producers, and send the cars to Saudi Arabia. The five-year license is paid for monthly to us.

The car owner benefits because the company retains control over the sale value risk. Due to rapid improvements in technology, the sale price of a five-year-old EV is extremely small.

Because of improvements in EV systems, which result in higher profits for the car manufacturer, the auto maker has no problem owning that chance. The automobile manufacturer increases sales by lowering the risk of the automobile person buying it again.

According to ADIB’s Sun, modern technology does speed up the financing of leased assets and boost investment turnover. Securitized assets can be tokenized with Real World Asset ( RWA ) technology. ADC anticipates that Central Bank Digital Currencies ( CBDCs ) will allow for asset-backed securities trading, increasing investor interest and liquidity. &nbsp,

With a product offering in Hong Kong, Sun anticipates that investment products based on real-world assets will be tradable as early as the first quarter of 2025.

Sun noted that the leasing model can significantly lower financing costs, adding that” we can also use this system for green energy equipment.” The effective financing rate for car leases ranges from 16 % to 18 %. Effective leasing interest can be lowered to 5 % using our tokenized RWA model. Investors who invest in our lease-based token will receive 10 % of the investment.

Traditional cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, do n’t have a fixed rate of return. Bitcoin’s owners hope that its scarcity will cause its price to rise. Tokenized RWAs, though, are based on real-world assets that generate a rate of return, like equipment leases.

Assets in CBDCs with an inherent rate of return may compete favorably with Bitcoin and other well-known crypto vehicles as distributed ledger technology makes RWA investing accessible to a large public.

ADIB has taken a 36 % stake in Deep Green X at a post-investment valuation of$ 58 billion. DeepGreenX provides several AI-based services for green energy, including an AI platform for engineering, procurement and construction ( EPC ) to optimize project efficiency. Additionally, DeepGreenX will offer AI-based technology to create securitized assets based on leases for green energy and other real-world assets.

According to a company release,” DeepGreenX has established itself as a leader in various sectors, securing European projects on national virtual grid construction, photovoltaic power plants, grid energy storage centers, wind and microgrid equipment manufacturing, computing centers, and micro-nuclear power services, as well as US-based stored energy battery production”.

In a company release, Barclay Knapp, CEO of DeepGreenX, stated that” we anticipate this initiative to significantly advance the global expansion of green energy industries, breaking with the current system of limited supply of cross-border capital and standalone profitable business models.” Our new fund, in our opinion, will transform the alternative energy industry in a similar way to how lease financing transformed the auto and aerospace industries. We are collaborating with ADIB to create a global capital and data-driven profitability platform with unparalleled power and scale that will be able to overcome these difficult issues.

Knapp, a partner at DeepGreenX, began his career by creating the first cellular network in the US. Conventional wisdom predicted that regular people would be upset about the cost of the first cell phones because they were prohibitively expensive.

” Leasing removes the entry barrier”, CEO Knapp said in an interview. ” The minute we could finance phones, it took off, people who could n’t shell out$ 1, 500 for a phone would pay$ 150 a month to lease one”. He anticipates the same transformative effect from green energy equipment lease financing.

DeepGreenX’s project management software is one of several AI applications. The most crucial task may be using AI to calculate carbon credit.

” It’s the Wild West out there in carbon measurement. In a tense environment with a fragmented market for carbon credit, it is not just that you have no laws, but that you have laws everywhere, Knapp Said. ” We can do precise measurement and verification. And once verified, using AI and blockchain technology to digitize that and turn it into a financial product is simple. That makes carbon credits more valuable and clears the confusion.

Follow David P Goldman on X at @davidpgoldman

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