A boutique capital markets firm launched by ABN Amro alumni, Independent Debt Capital Markets, is using its niche expertise to enable mid-tier companies to access debt capital markets in new formats.

Tighter bank financing, falling government subsidies and rising US shale gas production are all putting the squeeze on the renewable energy industry.

The global financial crisis caused many corporates to review their treasury operations, with a large number reducing banking partners and signing up to shared technology platforms. Such changes, combined with the introduction of new regulations, such as the Single European Payments Area, have left many banks rethinking their global transaction services.

Ongoing economic and regulatory uncertainty is playing to the advantage of established international financial centres, particularly London, which, despite the recent Libor scandal, has been named the most attractive financial centre in The Banker’s 2012 global asset management survey.

With the recent Libor scandal failing to shake asset managers' confidence in London, emerging centres will have to work hard if they are to overtake the UK capital as the world's leading asset management centre.

After an unprecedented wave of deleveraging and reorganisation, Royal Bank of Scotland’s head of markets and international banking for Europe, Middle East and Africa says the bank’s strategy for the future is now taking shape.