In early 2009, shares in Austrian and Italian banks were pummelled by investors fearing that their exposure to central and eastern Europe would threaten balance sheets. Now they are fighting back, and staying safely in profit. Writer Philip Alexander
Emmanuel Naim, Equity manager for the cross-asset solutions group, Société Générale Corporate & Investment BankingEmmanuel Naim, equity manager for the cross-asset solutions group at Société Générale Corporate & Investment Banking, explains how the equity derivatives business has overcome the challenges posed by the Lehman bankruptcy to continue offering investors ways to participate in the equity market. Writer Philip Alexander
Mark Goldstein, JPMorgan's head of liability management in London is building the business from the bottom up. He is a new arrival at the bank following the acquisition of Bear Stearns, creating a new team as the bank makes a foray into debt restructuring.
Mike Bussey, CEO of Arbuthnot Latham The rise of counterparty risk and volatility have fundamentally changed the attitudes of high-net-worth investors towards structured products, but most private bankers believe they still have a role to play in a well-managed portfolio. Writer Philip Alexander
Few markets in central and eastern Europe have escaped investor fears over excessive corporate debt. Equity offerings are on hold and refinancing conditions have rarely been tougher, but there are opportunities for banks that stay in the game, writes Philip Alexander.
The share prices of leading Italian banks were buffeted in early 2009 as investors anticipated damage to asset quality from their high exposure to emerging Europe. But senior managers say the region is still at the heart of their strategy, writes Philip Alexander.