From Bust to Boom: Southeast Asia’s Capital Markets Getting It Right This Time

If you can’t make it in China, try Southeast Asia.

This seems to be the mantra these days among international banks and financial firms that want a foothold in Asia’s most coveted market but are turned off by regulatory requirements or stiff competition. If China has 1.2 billion people and a rising middle class, Southeast Asia has 600 million people, growing wealth, and plenty of investment banking deals too.

According to the Wall Street Journal, investment banking and trading revenues in Southeast Asia reached $13 billion last year (the second biggest in Asia ex-Japan after China’s $19 billion) on the back of mega deals such as Thailand’s C.P. Pokphand’s acquisition of Singapore food and beverage giant Fraser and Neave. Read More