Awards

The Hong Kong-based brokerage might be owned by Citic Securities, but it is keen to retain its vibrant research-based business model, even in the face of mounting costs. Richard Morrow reports.

For the past 13 years Asiamoney has revealed the top domestic banks, equity houses and debt houses in the region's largest financial markets. For our 25th anniversary edition we have amalgamated these winners to reveal which institutions in Asia have best stood the test of time. Richard Morrow reports.

Barclays’ most senior investment banker in the US is stepping down as the bank faces a regulatory deadline to overhaul its operations in the Americas.

Borden Ladner Gervais has been a leader in representing sellside and buyside derivative users at a time of increased regulation from Canadian regulators. One highlight from the firm over the past 12 months was securing exemptive relief from the Canadian securities regulatory authorities in respect of conflicting Canadian mutual fund requirements in order to permit Canadian-domiciled funds, including those managed by international investment managers such as Fidelity and Franklin Templeton, to comply with the Dodd Frank clearing mandates.

As market participants increasingly look for outsourced data management solutions, Markit has stood out from the crowd in being able to offer leading analytics, portfolio management and distribution services across all asset classes. These are the reasons that led to the firm being awarded the Global Capital Derivatives Americas Data Vendor Of The Year.

The potential for a rise in interest rates has sent end-users scrambling to revaluate their portfolios over the last 12 months. As macroeconomic uncertainty persists and implementation of new regulation continues, Goldman Sachs has stood apart from its peers in being able to help their clients prepare for a full array of likely fixed income market scenarios with leading analysis and access to liquidity.

Davis Polk and Wardwell’s role alongside the growth in structured equity finance transactions in the US during the last year, as well as its work in helping European and Asian clients trade equity derivatives products in the US, was key to the firm winning Global Capital’s US Law Firm Of The Year award.

Clients are increasingly turning to technology providers for pre-trade risk management under pressure to comply with the new regulatory environment. SunGard, a global software solutions company, has noted an increase in the number of clients seeking third-party management of pre-trade risk on its Valdi platform. SunGard’s commitment to providing innovative pre-trade software to the buy- and sell-side to help them meet these new demands is one reason why they were awarded this year’s GlobalCapital Americas Technology Provider of the Year.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s position in being a leading liquidity provider in CDS trading in the Americas, the innovation it offers in structured solutions, in addition to the positive feedback it received from buysiders for its credit research, were the reasons why the firm won the Global Capital Derivatives Americas Credit Derivatives House of the Year award.

CIBC’s continued investment in derivatives professionals and technology have given it staying power in the Canadian derivatives market. Its expansion in cross-asset trading and structuring in New York and Canada helped it clinch this year’s Global Capital Derivatives Canada House of the Year award.

Citigroup has made the new over-the-counter derivative clearing regime in the US a top priority over the last 12 months, embracing the new system with investments in technology and personnel. The firm’s investments have started paying dividends, with market participants from the sellside and buyside taking note, helping the firm secure this year’s GlobalCapital Derivatives Americas Clearing Bank of 2014 award.

Consistent outperformance in the use of cross-asset derivatives has set Citadel apart from other hedge funds over the last 12 months. The firm's performance in global markets was lauded by sellside officials and institutional investors this year, who noted Citadel outperformed other funds using derivatives in both vanilla and exotic strategies. This helped Citadel win the 2014 GlobalCapital Derivatives US Hedge Fund Of The Year award.