The past 12 months have been turbulent for the banking sector. Despite the consequences of the credit crunch on structured credit models and transaction flows, both international and local banks have once again brought an impressive number of deals to the attention of The Banker’s judges. The global, regional and country winners have been picked from the 447 transactions submitted from 93 countries around the world.

With a new formula and an enlarged pool of participants, Deals of the Year 2007 has for the first time declared a global winner and five regional winners from the pick of the deals in 85 countries around the world. Both international and local banks have brought an extraordinary wealth of deals to the attention of The Banker’s judges. The next pages are dedicated to the well deserved accolades.

Last year’s natural and man-made disasters failed to derail the financial sector, which enjoyed a third consecutive year of economic growth. Consequently, there was a host of record deals worldwide. The Banker’s Deals of the Year 2006 shows the judges’ selections of the pick of these deals in 52 countries in calendar year 2005.

2004 was not an easy year for investment bankers, with interest rate cycles beginning to tighten, middling global growth and numerous uncertainties lurking over markets. The Banker’s Deals of the Year 2005 is the pick of the best deals executed in calendar year 2004 in 48 countries around the world (Egypt and Qatar were excluded for lack of qualifying deals).

This year The Banker presents its deals of the year in two ways. First are the deals of the year by category, as in previous years; then these are followed by deals of the year by country, a new feature that identifies the single best investment bank deal in each country.

The Banker assesses the best deals in investment banking last year.