As measures to manage risk and credit quality pay off, Standard Chartered’s CIB chief, Simon Cooper, is in a bullish mood.
Latest articles from Stefanie Linhardt


SocGen’s global head of DCM celebrates inspiring year
October 1, 2018Société Générale Corporate and Investment Banking’s head of debt capital markets, Demetrio Salorio, talks to Stefanie Linhardt about winning market share and how mergers support the corporate bond market.

Supervisors or enforcers: who steers AML in Europe?
October 1, 2018Even after several revisions, the EU’s anti-money laundering directive does not definitively answer the question of whether a unified EU approach to AML is needed and politically achievable. Stefanie Linhardt reports.

The Banker's Top 250 EU Banks ranking: Is the capital recovery complete?
September 3, 2018The Banker’s Top 250 EU Banks ranking shows the resilience of lenders’ capital bases, although profitability is still lacking when viewed in global terms.

Are Europe's big fish set to bite in mega-M&A frenzy?
August 31, 2018Is Europe set for a series of mega-M&As, or will headwinds around the banking union and regional politics stall such deals?

As BoE funding dries up, has Aldermore’s time come?
August 1, 2018Having been taken private by South Africa’s FirstRand, UK challenger bank Aldermore is looking to grow its business – at a time when financing costs are likely to increase. Stefanie Linhardt reports.

Slovakia’s finance minister seeks to keep economy moving
July 4, 2018One of the candidates during the Eurogroup chair elections and a keen advocacy of fiscal consolidation, Slovakian finance minister Peter Kazimir has played a key role in the country’s fiscal and economic achievements. But is the country’s economy at risk of overheating? Stefanie Linhardt finds out.

Tackling Europe's NPLs: right idea, wrong time?
July 4, 2018It seems that Europe’s non-performing loan problems are diminishing just as European authorities are issuing long-overdue proposals to deal with them – so are they still relevant?
Top 1000 World Banks - Western Europe’s profitability returns as profits increase globally
July 2, 2018Profitability is resurgent among western European landers, and there are strong showings from Asia-Pacific and North America. Stefanie Linhardt reports.
Top 1000 World Banks - Good news for western Europe as capital rebounds across board
July 2, 2018Western European institutions have seen a distinct improvement on their poor 2017 figures, with most top banks increasing their capitalisation. HSBC remains local leader but has ceded a place on the global ranking. Stefanie Linhardt reports.