LatinFinance - January/February 2016 - 28

AWARDS
DEALS OF THE
YEAR 2015

A nimble, innovative approach to fickle markets helped Latin America's
most impressive institutions raise capital and execute strategic transactions in 2015. LatinFinance recognizes the stand-out deals and dealmakers for their resounding success during a difficult year

L

atin America's borrowers, issuers, investors and
intermediaries tackled a highly dynamic market in 2015.
The Lava Jato investigation in Brazil, and Petrobras' delay of audited
financial results, shut the country's borrowers out of international
debt markets for much of the first half of the year. The remainder of the
year was marked by high-profile arrests and political unrest in Latin
America's biggest economy, quashing a typically bountiful source of
deal flow for the region's investment banks.
Global factors did not help the rest of the region. Concerns over
Greece's potential exit from the Eurozone, a looming rate hike from
the US Federal Reserve and volatility from China combined with
continually declining commodities prices to keep many players on the
sidelines, and further clouded investors' view of Latin America.
Against such a dark backdrop, this year's Deals of the Year winners
shone particularly bright. They employed an acute sense of timing
and a nimble approach to markets. A penchant for innovation was
also a common thread among this year's most impressive deals and
firms. Executives, bankers, lawyers and governments demonstrated
a remarkable degree of creativity in their search for new sources of
capital and their efforts will likely form the basis of further market
advances this year.
LatinFinance again conducted a rigorous and thorough selection
process to select the 2015 Deals of the Year winners. After taking
nominations from market participants, the editorial team embarked
on an intensive period of examination of data and market consultation.
Deals closed between October 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015 were
considered.
For the deal categories, we looked at the structure, timing and
execution of transactions, their innovative and market-leading
qualities, and their significance for the issuers. In the institutional
categories, we considered firms' participation in more complex,
innovative or otherwise stand-out transactions, their depth and
breadth of transactions and clients, and how their market standing
has evolved. Full details on the selection process can be found at www.
latinfinance.com/doty. LF
28 LATINFINANCE.COM - January/February 2016

A

W

A R D

S
2015

De

ar
als o
f t h e Ye

SOVEREIGN ISSUER OF THE YEAR
United Mexican States
SOVEREIGN BOND OF THE YEAR
United Mexican States
CORPORATE ISSUER OF THE YEAR
Pemex
QUASI-SOVEREIGN BOND OF THE YEAR
Pemex
FINANCING INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
Pemex
CORPORATE HIGH-GRADE BOND OF THE
YEAR
Gruma
CORPORATE HIGH-YIELD BOND OF THE
YEAR
Coltel
SOVEREIGN LIABILITY MANAGEMENT OF
THE YEAR
Dominican Republic
CORPORATE LIABILITY MANAGEMENT OF
THE YEAR
BRF
EQUITY FOLLOW-ON OF THE YEAR
Telefônica Vivo
CROSS-BORDER M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR
Telefônica Vivo / GVT
INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE YEAR
Nemak
PRIVATE EQUITY DEAL OF THE YEAR
Tribeca Asset Management / Termocandelaria
DOMESTIC M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR
Grupo Clarín / Nextel Argentina
SYNDICATED LOAN OF THE YEAR
Trafigura Beheer
RESTRUCTURING OF THE YEAR
Corporación Geo
LOCAL CURRENCY DEAL OF THE YEAR
Republic of Peru
STRUCTURED FINANCING OF THE YEAR
Latam Airlines
TRADE FINANCE OF THE YEAR
Fibria
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR: LATAM
Cleary Gottlieb
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR: BRAZIL
Machado Meyer
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR: MEXICO
Ritch Mueller
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR: ANDES
Gómez-Pinzón Zuleta
BOND HOUSE OF THE YEAR
Bank of America-Merrill Lynch
EQUITY HOUSE OF THE YEAR
Bank of America-Merrill Lynch
M&A HOUSE OF THE YEAR
Goldman Sachs
LOAN HOUSE OF THE YEAR
BBVA
INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR
JPMorgan
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of LatinFinance - January/February 2016
