Awards

The downturn proved a sobering and salutary experience for headhunters, Simon Parry discovers. Now there is a marked upswing but the survivors have a new headache: a dearth of young talent. Poll compiled by Olivia Chow and Robert Law.

What a difference a year makes. As the results of Asiamoney's 12th best-managed companies poll show, investors are impressed by the increasing confidence of corporates and their return to healthy earnings. Poll compiled by Olivia Chow and Robert Law. Report by Keri Geiger.

THE WINNERS OF Asiamoney's 14th brokers poll saw UBS, CLSA and CSFB take to the stand again and in the same order as last year. Two major ranking changes are ABN Amro storming up the charts with Merrill Lynch going down a few notches. A major difference in this year's broker's poll is the inclusion of hedge fund-specific questions on the provision of services to the hedge fund industry, which has become an increasingly important segment of the broking clientele. Respondents were also asked to mark their preferences on hedge fund-specific research.

CLSA and JPMorgan, two of the Indonesia winners of last year's Asiamoney broker's poll, share their thoughts on the country's economic recovery.

Corporate governance is the popular business mantra. But not all corporates practise what they preach, reveals our poll. Report by Fiona Haddock and polling by Olivia Chow and Robert Law

The foreign exchange industry is enjoying a quiet boom as investors turn to currency in the search for elusive yield. Nick Ferguson reports.

Continuous-linked settlement has been billed as the panacea for settlement risk, but as Asiamoney's first cash management poll to canvass financial institutions reveals, that may not be incentive enough for some of Asia's struggling banks to sign up. Nick Ferguson reports. Polls team headed by Olivia Chow and Robert Law.

Choosing a cash management bank can be difficult when core services are so similar. But some houses manage to offer that little bit more to win clients' votes. By Pauline Loong. Polls team headed by Olivia Chow and Robert Law.

Home-grown institutions are often overlooked. They lack the global name recognition that comes from huge balance sheets and high-profile deals. But some have shown amazing abilities to survive and even thrive in a tough environment. For the second year, we name the local houses in the region's key markets that we believe deserve our accolades.

Bankers say that costs are low on their list of priorities when choosing legal counsel, yet lawyers complain that fees are fiercely competitive. We listen to both sides in Asiamoney's third law poll, a joint undertaking with sister publication Asialaw, and list those who are voted the top legal advisers in the region.

Business travellers are sticking with the names they know and trust in Asia. The Ritz-Carlton Millenia in Singapore, the Oriental in Bangkok and the Peninsula in Hong Kong again rank as Asia's finest hotels, and Singapore Airlines continues to rule the skies. Poll research and story by Olivia Chow and Robert Law.

Last year was not one to remember for many bankers, issuers or investors. But there were bright spots along the way. Hardship led to innovation in corporate restructuring, and the benchmark borrowers of the region came into their own. These are the transactions that provided a silver lining to a very cloudy year.