Merrill Lynch's orchestration of the EDF purchase of British Energy was one of the most complex and drawn-out deals of its kind ever undertaken. Writer Edward Russell-Walling

When food group Premier was weighed down by debt after adding new brands to its portfolio, Goldman Sachs' last-minute, three-pronged restructuring plan saved the day.

Left to right: Andrew Wilkinson, Dominic Lee and Rob Pulford

Drug company Roche made a rare foray into the markets recently, with BNP Paribas being among the bookrunners putting together its record-breaking euro bond deal to finance the purchase of US biotech firm Genentech. Writer Edward Russell-Walling

In the current financial climate, five-year papers are considered a no-go area for US bond investors. This makes the $4m, five-year issue pulled off by Germany's Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau last month all the more remarkable. Writer Edward Russell-Walling

The Dutch State Treasury Agency triumphed when it brought its 10-year bond to market with a coupon of 4%: the book closed within just four hours with most of the allocation going to real money accounts of international investors. Writer Edward Russell-Walling.

HSBC tapped into its relationships as primary dealer with eurozone countries when it acted in Greece’s recent €5.5bn bond issue. Writer Edward Russell-Walling.

Lovells’ restructuring of Cheyne Capital’s $7bn structured investment vehicle set an example for other troubled SIVs. Writer Edward Russell-Walling.

BNP Paribas’ €1.5bn, five-year covered bond has given the market a welcome fillip, but was only made possible thanks to the bank’s five-year strategy ­of diversifying its funding as broadly as possible.

When RZB announced its rights issue in October it was not in response to market pressure, but the final step of a three-year programme to build capital in line with the assets and liabilities of the growing bank. Writer Edward Russell-Walling.