Loan Ranger

The sun was shining at Rabobank’s annual market reception on Tuesday. The Dutch bank’s terrace overlooking the Thames by the Millennium Bridge attracted loans bankers from far and wide, and the rather magnificent views offered to clients over lunch certainly put Rabo ahead of the competition.

Which leveraged banker revealed his own personal fetish to Loan Ranger this week, confessing that he enjoyed the Jimmy Choo bank meeting just a little bit too much?

Following the previous week’s Irish economy sorrow-drowning it was time for a more cheery start to last week. That usually means one thing and one thing only: lunch.

Loan Ranger sends its congratulations to one esteemed member of the loan market, married earlier this year at a beautiful ceremony.

The bank holiday weekend didn’t bring us the sun we wanted, but Loan Ranger was still able to celebrate in tropical style on Thursday night at a party for Banco do Brasil’s 40th anniversary in London.

If you’re tired of London, you’re tired of life, or so thought Samuel Johnson. Loan Ranger was tired of London this week but not quite ready to give up on life, so headed to Dubai to see if the Middle East loans market would be invigorating.

If Loan Ranger seems a little downhearted over the next week, it is with just cause. The inspiration behind many a column over the last few years and the source of much gossip-filled titbits has left us. The Flying Dutchman has flown the market.

The run of good weather tempted Loan Ranger out for lunch on Wednesday. We caught up with Boris Jaquet from Deutsche who admitted that after seven years in London he is worrying about forgetting his French.

The loan markets have barely had time to catch their breath since the Easter break before the realisation hit that there’s another welcome long weekend just around the corner. London teams only have another two days before their next four-day break to celebrate the royal wedding (we know the Société Générale team are looking forward to that one in particular).

As a series of long weekends rapidly approaches, Loan Ranger can’t help but feel full of the joys of spring. All of the signs of the season are there: the sun is shining, the birds are singing and the headhunters are rubbing their hands in glee at the thought of the post-bonus season moves.

The music has started, and another game of loan market musical chairs has begun for the year. David Pepper and Richard Hill have flown the WestLB nest.

After the depressing atmosphere at the syndicated loans conference last week, Loan Ranger was feeling a bit down and sorely in need of a boost this week. And happily that boost came in the form of a pleasant lunch with Richard Basham and Romeet Shankardass at Citi towers — which left us feeling that the loan market could once again return to lofty heights. Or maybe that was just the sensation of sipping our sparkling water on the 798th floor?