Excellence in Commodity Finance & Structured Products

Winner: Société Générale CIB

Société Générale CIB has over 30 years experience in commodity finance, having established a global presence of over 1,000 staff and with clients accounting for over 70% of the global capitalisation of the energy sector alone.

In the aftermath of the financial and economic crisis commodity and energy businesses have a particular need to make investment decisions for the long term. In this context, over the past 12 months SG CIB has worked to stretch its technical skills and expand its already wide range of products in order not only to meet client’s expectations in these challenging times, but to surpass them.

SG CIB as a group has proved resilient throughout the crisis, and in summer 2009, all market activities were grouped under the Global Markets umbrella, unifying and reinforcing the bank’s overall risk management.

SG CIB has been extremely active in debt capital markets worldwide, serving as joint bookrunner and joint global coordinator and providing advisory services for some of the most outstanding structured transactions for industry players in the oil & gas and power sectors. SG CIB has accompanied clients in many of the landmark structured financing transactions, highlighting the bank’s ongoing leadership in natural resources finance and project finance as it helps bring clients’ financing programmes to fruition in volatile markets. SG CIB has successfully assisted in the syndication and closing of transactions while facing very difficult market conditions which have required it to help clients adapt structures to make them bankable.

SG CIB’s dynamism in the energy project finance market is illustrated by its rise through the project finance leagues: in Global Advisories Closed and in Global Initial Mandated Lead Arrangers (source: Project Finance International January 2009 & 2010). Notable deals include the banks’ involvement in helping base metal mining company Talvivaara Mining Company finance its future; Canadian mining company Mercator finance its expansion and control costs; and Kosmas Energy to finance its Jubilee field off the coast of Ghana, as Mandated Lead Arranger and Lead Technical Bank.

SG CIB’s extensive industry and technical knowledge have enabled it to advise world-class sponsors on some of the most visible project financing transactions. In LNG, they continue to be a clear leader, as well as in refining and gas pipelines.

SG CIB’s track record in structured commodity finance has brought tailor-made solutions for clients in the natural resource sector and is evidence of its ability to address the particular challenges of emerging markets, in particular its commitment to the Russian market.

Thanks to their longstanding and close partnerships with both corporate clients and investors, SG CIB understand their challenges and concerns. SG CIB’s expertise and commitment in the field means that they can be considered a one-stop-shop for financing and derivative-based products.

The Award for Excellence in Commodity Finance & Structured Products 2010 was presented to Mr. Geoffrey Dallemagne, Head of Corporate Structuring & Coverage – Commodity Markets at Société Générale CIB by Gyles Brandreth, celebrated British author, broadcaster, actor and former Conservative Member of Parliament.