The world's best borrowers 1996

The world’s best borrowers 1996

The techniques that constitute state-of-the-art borrowing are growing in sophistication. But having the latest black box doesn't guarantee success. Issuers also need old-fashioned market savvy to get the lowest-cost funds. Here are the ones that combined both qualities over the past year

Borrowers’ special: Debt handlers and risk jugglers

THE WORLD’S BEST BORROWER

Kingdom of Sweden

If amount borrowed per member of staff were the only criterion, Sweden’s National Debt Office would walk away with the award for best borrower every year. Last year (excluding its short-term borrowing programmes) Sweden raised Skr120 billion ($17.6 billion) in the international markets. The funding was handled by just one person: Christina Clausen. “When Christina goes on holiday,” says one of Sweden’s lead managers, “funding shuts down.