BEST BANK
Alpha Bank
BEST DEBT HOUSE
Deutsche Bank
BEST EQUITY HOUSE
Cantor Fitzgerald
BEST M&A HOUSE
CSFB
National Bank of Greece still dominates the local banking sector in terms of size but Alpha Bank wins the best bank award this year for its impressive growth story. Net profits for 2004 increased by an impressive 45% to €412 million, compared with €284 million in 2003. Investment banking business remained rather subdued during 2004, but its retail operations are still a key driver of profitability.
Deutsche Bank continues to be a strong player in the Greek debt capital markets. CSFB tops the bond league tables by volume, but Deutsche was involved in most transactions and can boast a wide range of clients. It was the sole arranger of the first ever 30-year bond for the Hellenic Republic and executed the largest residential mortgage-backed securitization to date.
In equities, Deutsche Bank continues to build on its long-standing Greek franchise, but Cantor Fitzgerald comfortably tops the league table and clinched several sizeable transactions to win the award.
Greek M&A activity has been limited over the past year, with a number of bids left on the table. UBS tops the M&A adviser league table, but CSFB advised on the most deals and can boast a good breadth of clients. It advised on three of the highest-profile transactions: OTE’s transfer of its Balkan mobile assets to COSMOTE; Alpha Bank’s acquisition of Jubanka in Serbia; and the sale of Delta Singular Outsourcing Systems to First Data Corp, attracting significant foreign investment into Greece.
