Latest articles from Edward Russell-Walling

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DC helps Gorkana find its target audience

December 1, 2014

Daiwa's European mergers and acquisitions arm, DC Advisory, enabled the private equity owners of media and PR monitoring service Gorkana to find the ideal industry buyer.

Has Islamic banking finally cracked Pakistan?

November 3, 2014

After a false start, Islamic banking has become the fastest growing segment of the Pakistani banking industry, with the full support of the government. Apart from the ever-present challenge of liquidity management, most local Islamic bankers agree that their most important task now is to build awareness in the country.

Investors flock to hybrid securities

Investors flock to hybrid securities

November 3, 2014

Investors hungry for higher yields have embraced hybrid securities, with hybrid issuance for both corporate and financial instruments increasing sharply in the past two years, despite the risks. 

HSBC to the rescue

HSBC to the rescue: the revival of the CoCo

November 3, 2014

The stagnant additional Tier 1 capital market needed a shot in the arm after a string of disappointing issues in 2014. Enter HSBC and its inaugural AT1 issue.

Pakistan banks defy economic gloom

Pakistan's banks defy economic gloom

October 1, 2014

With ongoing political turmoil, foreign banks may have all but packed up and left Pakistan, but the financial sector has barely noticed. Indeed, assets and deposits have doubled between the end of 2008 and June 2014, while Islamic banking has begun to make its impact felt. 

Pakistan's microfinance industry identifies growth path

October 1, 2014

Pakistan's microfinance industry has slowly been gaining traction in recent years, and is in for a huge boost when new biometric identification methods are brought into the mainstream – primarily to help combat terrorism – which will allow banks to verify new customers remotely.

Giving Pakistan's privatisation drive a push

October 1, 2014

Having had a long and successful career in the commercial sector, Mohammad Zubair, Pakistan's privatisation minister, understands the importance of the country's privatisation drive. But, not everybody shares his enthusiasm, with the heavily unionised companies putting up resistance to the privatisation plans, and foreign investors wary of the country's less-than-perfect track record in denationalisation deals.

A glimmer of hope for Pakistan

A glimmer of hope for Pakistan's economy

October 1, 2014

Dogged by a history of political instability, Pakistan has struggled to secure trading partners or attract much in the way of foreign investment, at the expense of its economy. However, a new pro-business government and a revival in GDP growth suggest that the country's economic fortunes might finally be on the up.

JPMorgan Team of the Month October

JP Morgan's express recipe for takeaway pizza

October 1, 2014

JP Morgan provided Chinese private equity fund Hony with advice on its first foray into the UK market and a financing package that did not rely on Chinese banks, to become preferred bidder for the Pizza Express restaurant chain.

RBS helps revive sterling bond market

RBS helps revive sterling bond market

September 1, 2014

The UK sterling market has enjoyed a stellar 2014, with RBS playing a leading role in the surge with a series of innovative issuances that have proven popular both within and outside of the UK.

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