HONG KONG: Citi was recently recognized as ‘Bank of the Year’ in Asia Pacific at the International Financing Review (IFR) Asia Awards 2022 based on a unanimous decision of the editors of IFR Asia, a leading industry magazine with a focus on capital markets.
Citi was also named ‘Best Bond House’ in the Asia Pacific for its ability to bring Asian issuers to the G3 market throughout the year against a backdrop of new geopolitical headwinds and rising interest rates, according to IFR Asia.
The independent recognitions from IFR Asia reaffirm the expertise and solution-driven approach of Citi’s capital markets and advisory teams in developing and executing complex transactions for clients in an ever-changing and challenging macro-environment. “Citi’s pan- Asian footprint and diverse sector coverage made it a bastion of stability, while its commercial bank enabled it to give issuers more options in rapidly changing market conditions,” concluded IFR Asia in the editorial write-up accompanying the award win.
“This win is a recognition of the strength of Citi’s franchise, the competitive advantage of our global network, and the passion and energy of our teams. We would like to thank our clients for their trust in Citi, and for choosing us as their partner to support their banking requirements,” said Jan Metzger, Head of Asia Pacific banking, capital markets, and advisory at Citi.
During the last year, Citi helped raise over US$200bn for Asian clients from global capital markets. Citi-led transactions also won awards including the following:
- Reliance Industries US$4bn multi-tranche bond – Best Investment Grade Bond
- Lenovo US$675m seven-year CB – Best Structured equity issue
- LG Energy Solution’s W12.8tr IPO – South Korea capital markets deal
- Thai Life Insurance Bt37bn IPO – Thailand capital markets deal
In the write-ups accompanying the award wins, the editorial said:
“Citigroup, in contrast to many of its peers, did more than just stand its ground in 2022. The bank was proactive as it consistently found market windows for its clients and supported them as they sought the best possible funding opportunities.”
“Issuers in Asia were faced in 2022 with volatile capital markets that were inclined to close at a moment’s notice, but Citigroup provided the stability clients needed to manage their funding plans.”
“Issuers could not rely on Asia-only demand in 2022, but Citi connected them to international investors.”
