May 2007 Financial News

RBTT Merchant Bank courts El Salvador

May 09, 2007

The potential for further Central American business opportunities for RBTT Merchant Bank was the topic of discussion when the investment bank hosted a dinner at Hilton Trinidad for businessmen and government officials from El Salvador.

Engaging the attention of the Latin American visitors were Trinidad and Tobago Foreign Affairs Minister Arnold Piggott and RBTT’s Group CEO Suresh Sookoo. Among those representing RBTT Merchant Bank were Managing Director Lyndon Guiseppi and Deputy Managing Director Filippo Alario.

A research report from worldwide investment banking and securities trading and brokerage firm Bear Stearns describes El Salvador as “a well-managed, stable credit story,” whose medium-term prospects seem “fairly bullish”.

“Like so many of the other Latin American countries, El Salvador is experiencing promising growth,” said Guiseppi. “With a Central American representative office in Costa Rica, RBTT Merchant Bank is well-positioned to provide the investment framework to support the many initiatives that will contribute to El Salvador’s social and economic advancement.”

A recent indication of the bank’s support for El Salvador was its co-arrangement of the US$250 million senior debt required by the El Salvador group Cobalt Holdings Company Limited, for the acquisition of the Caribbean assets of Courts PLC.

Since establishing their presence in Costa Rica two years ago, RBTT Merchant Bank has concluded several successful investment banking deals in the Central American region. Most recently, in March, RBTT Merchant closed a transaction to finance the construction of a Guatemalan hydroelectric plant to the tune of US$171 million. This was coarranged by the Central American Bank of Economic Integration.

Source:
RBTT Financial Holdings Limited (website)
Wednesday 9th May, 2007

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