Awards

Asiamoney is pleased to announce the results of its largest ever travel poll. In total, 462 business travelers from 25 countries participated, making the results of this survey our most comprehensive guide yet to the preferences of the region’s elite business clientele.

Westfield Holding is probably the best quality real estate investment trust (Reit) from Australia. The fact that the financing unit of a Reit was able to tap the 144a bond market for a 10-year issue after a six-month hiatus of deals from the sector was impressive and earns Asiamoney’s international bond award for 2008.

Suncorp-Metway waited for a window of opportunity to conduct a hybrid equity issue last year and it duly arrived in May, with the ASX in a recovery phase. The firm gained good momentum by releasing a favourable profit outlook on the first day of its road-show, and it didn’t look back.

When pharma firm CSL needed to raise cash to fund its takeover of a US rival it turned to Merrill Lynch. Acting alone, the bank rapidly built a top-quality order book for the follow-on offering. It helped that experts were so confident in the rationale of CSL’s acquisition.

CBA’s takeover of the Bank of Western Australia and St Andrew’s Australia late last year was timely, smart and sensible. The acquisition was complimentary to CBA’s business and deserves recognition for its nimbleness.

It is the composition of its lending that made Mizuho Corporate Bank stand out in 2008. It was responsible for pricing five of the year’s 10 largest transactions and took sole bookrunner positions on a number of deals.

Mizuho Securities was comfortably top of the pile in terms of overall issuance in 2008. While it raised a lot of funding for itself, it also helped many of Japan’s most prominent local borrowers to raise funding too.

Nomura has set the standard for equity issuance for years in Japan, to the point that many firms won't consider entering the market without Nomura’s name on the ticket. It was involved in four of the top 10 deal mandates in 2008 and was an easy choice for this award.

The Lion Power consortium succeeded in its acquisition of Senoko Power of Singapore by arranging a very aggressive level of debt funding in what were tumultuous credit markets after the collapse of Lehman Brothers. It was the largest acquisition debt facility for a utility deal in Asia last year and earns Asiamoney's award.

The Series 1 Filp Master Trust 1st SPC asset-backed securities issue collateralised a pool of public sector loans. Conducted in February, it was the first transaction in what promises to be a vibrant new form of securitisation in Japan.

US corporate Wal-Mart became the first retailer to tap the Samurai bond market in almost 30 years last July. With its AA credit rating it provided much-needed high-grade corporate diversification in a difficult environment. Local investor interest was strong, pricing was tight and coupons on the tranches were appealing.

Seven Bank’s debut listing was the nation's largest IPO last year. Because of the bank’s unique business model, its shares have outperformed the Japanese stock market since, impressive at a time when most bank shares have sunk amid the climate of investor fear.