Countries/Regions

Banco de Reservas has shrugged off macroeconomic weakness in the Dominican Republic caused by the global financial crisis and continues to grow.

Ecuador’s Banco Pichincha has been busy expanding within and beyond the country’s borders. At the same time, it has been able to keep its financial indicators in line with or better than that of the banking system as a whole.

With economic growth returning to Guatemala after a relatively shallow crisis, its banks can return to plans being made prior to 2008.

With Petrobras’ $70 billion capitalization out of the way, other LatAm equity issuers are cleared for takeoff.

Trinidad & Tobago’s (T&T) Republic Bank has been able to grow its assets despite a weak economy and reduction in its loan portfolio.

Puerto Rico has been suffering a recession for more than four years. Several banks have collapsed, unemployment has soared and bankruptcies have increased.

To the relief of dizzy investors and baggy-eyed bankers, LatAm issuers began to take a minor breather in October, slowing from September’s breakneck pace that saw $14.6 billion in cross-border dollar bonds.

Bolivia’s small size has meant its banks suffered few effects of the credit crisis in 2008 and 2009.

Brazil’s government-controlled lender is using a natural size advantage to pursue niches it does not already dominate. Careful international expansion is next for Banco do Brasil.

The crop of boutiques that sprang up from the bulge bracket wreckage faces fresh competition. They will need relationships, international connections and a proper structure to survive.

LatAm banks show a distinct lack of innovation in sustainability and corporate governance. Mid-caps are improving, but institutions of all sizes fail to properly value investment in compliance.

Mexican telecoms and Brazilian oil pump up the deal volume numbers claimed by advisors, but flow is still up year-on-year, even after stripping out distorting Telmex and Petrobras trades.

Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF) may be 40 this year, but it shows no signs of slowing.

The growth of boutiques in Mexico and Colombia has slowed. Pan-regional players continue to stick to their guns.

Crime and political rifts continue to block progress towards unity in Central America. Strides towards forging critical mass have been made, but full integration is lagging.

André Esteves has exceeded plenty of expectations on his way up the Brazilian investment banking ladder.

The past 12 months have seen capital markets activity and M&A pick up in Mexico following a crisis-inspired lull.

Banco de Bogotá has spent the last year rolling out a variety of new products and services in Colombia as it pursues a universal bank strategy, while also making moves cross-border.

Mexican retail banks are known for making customers pay through their noses.

In the April-June period, Banco de Crédito Del Peru (BCP) achieved some of its best quarterly results to date, supported by a strong reactivation of the Peruvian economy.

El Salvador’s Banco Agrícola, part of Colombia’s Bancolombia since 2007, is expected to end this year with results that compare favorably with those obtained at the end of 2009, says Fitch, which has an AA+ (stable) local rating on the bank.

Mercantil Banco Universal has been expanding its loan portfolio, which has led to year-on-year growth despite a economic contraction and slow liquidity growth in Venezuela.

Banco General takes top prize for Panama for the second year in a row.

Santander Río’s strength in retail contributes significantly to it being the most profitable private financial institution in Argentina, says Guillermo Glattstein, strategic planning manager at the bank.

State-controlled Banco de Costa Rica has gained market share through the financial crisis, growing the loan portfolio and expanding facilities.

Santander Chile says its strength has come from growing selectively and increasing sales without expanding the client base too much, so that it can control risk.

Chile-based investment bank Celfín Capital has seized the boom in 2010 as an opportunity to push it into the big leagues.

Jamaica’s National Commercial Bank (NCB) has passed the test of a weak local economy and a sovereign debt restructuring relatively unscathed, as profitability and liquidity remain at acceptable levels.

Leveraging deep and long-standing corporate relationships has been a successful strategy throughout the global financial crisis for Bancolombia.