Middle East's best investment bank 2020: HSBC

In a transformative year for capital markets in the Middle East, HSBC stands out as the region’s best investment bank, reclaiming the title it last won in 2017. 

A strong franchise across all investment banking products means that the bank has played a leading role in many of the region’s largest and most important deals. 

But what really stands out is both the pivotal role the bank has played in developing the Gulf’s capital markets, as well as its expertise in M&A and advisory, which will become vital as the region embarks on a period of adjustment in reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic and the slump in oil prices. 

HSBC has been integral in deepening regional capital markets, advising and supporting both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in joining the MSCI indices. 

Another landmark in the opening up of Saudi’s market was the IPO of Saudi Aramco. HSBC played a critical role as the only international bank in the syndicate with the capacity to market and deliver to local, regional and international investors.