What Do Investment Banks Do_ _ ChiefExecutive

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  • 8/10/2019 What Do Investment Banks Do_ _ ChiefExecutive

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    Home Leaders h ip & S t rat egy Leaders h ip What Do Investment Banks Do?

    What Do Investment Banks Do?Co rpo rate strate gist an d in ve stme n t ban ke r, Ro be rt L awre n ce K u h n ,

    e xamin e s th e diffe re n t face ts o f in ve stme n t ban kin g fro m pu blic

    o ffe rin gs, de bt an d e qu ity se cu ritie s to M &A an d stru ctu re d fin an ce .

    K u h n s crash co u rse in in ve stme n t ban kin g will te ll a CEO almo st all h e

    o r sh e n e e ds to kn o w.

    P oste d b y: rob e rt l awre nc e kuhn J u n e 21, 2011

    In ves t men t ban ks facilit at e flow s of fu n ds an d allocat ions of capit al. T h ey are fin an cial in t ermediaries , t h e

    crit ical lin k bet w een u s ers an d providers of capit al. T h ey brin g t oget h er t h os e w h o n eed mon ey t o in ves t

    (e.g., corporat ion s t h at bu ild fact ori es and buy equipment) with those who have money to invest (e.g.,

    in s t it u t ion s t h at man age mon ey for pen s ion plan s ), an d t h ey make t h e market s t h at allocat e capit al an dregu lat e price in t h es e fin an cial t ran s act ion s (i.e., w h o get s h ow man y dollars , w it h w h at t erms an d at w h at

    cost).

    Inves tment banking is a dyn amic in du s t ry ch aract eriz ed by flu x an d t ran s format ion . Fin an cial in s t ru men t s

    h ave grow n more complex as fin an cial in t ermediaries h ave become more compet it ive. Bliz z ards of

    in n ovat ive in s t ru men t s h ave s w ept fin an cial market s . Bou n daries amon g divers e fin an cial in s t it u t ion s h ave

    blu rred. Barriers bet w een in t ern at ion al fin an cial market s h ave eroded. An d amplifyin g t h e complexit y an d

    t h e compet it ion , fin an cial market s , fir ms , pr oduct s an d t ech n iqu es are mergin g an d meldin g.

    It is in t h is volat ile en viron men t t h at in ves t men t ban ks of all s iz es an d s t rat egies s t ru ggle w it h ch an ge.

    Investment banking, long simply synonymous with the domestic underwriting and market making of

    corporat e equ it y an d debt s ecu rit ies , h as expan ded dramat ically in pas t decades : n ew fu n ct ion s (e.g., t h e

    promin en ce of mergers an d acqu is it ion s , M& A), n ew produ ct s (e.g., ris k man agemen t mech an is ms s u ch as

    s w aps ), n ew t ech n iqu es (e.g., s ecu rit iz at ion of illiqu id receivables ), n ew in t ern at ion al exch an ges (e.g.,

    import an ce of Hon g Kon g in addit ion t o New York, Lon don an d T okyo), n ew fin an cial market s (e.g., Ch in a),

    an d n ew mu s cle (e.g., privat e equ it y, h edge fu n ds an d merch an t ban kin g).

    What services can investment bankers provide, and how can senior executives use investment banks to their

    firms advan t age?

    Strategies of Investment BanksIn ves t men t ban ks en able is s u ers t o rais e capit al (i.e., en t erpris es t h at s ell or is s u e s ecu rit ies for cas h ) an d

    in ves t ors t o place capit al (i.e., in dividu als or in s t it u t ion s t h at bu y or in ves t in t h os e s ecu rit ies ) in t h e mos t

    reas on ably efficien t man n er for bot h : t h e low es t overall cos t of capit al for is s u ers an d t h e h igh es t rat io of

    ret u rn -t o-ris k for in ves t ors . Des ign in g fin an cial in s t ru men t s t h at ever more clos ely mat ch t h es e oppos it e

    des ires of is s u ers an d in ves t ors is t h e h allmark of t h e in du s t ry.

    W h et h er debt or equ it y, all capit al h as a cos t an d is s u ers w an t t o rais e capit al at t h e low es t pos s ible overall

    (all-in ) cos t . T h e cos t of debt is it s in t eres t rat e, repaymen t s ch edu le, coven an t s , an d t h e like. T h e cos t of

    equ it y is t h e dilu t ion of cu rren t s t ockh olders relat ive t o t h e mon ey rais ed. T h e cos t of capit al is direct ly

    relat ed t o t h e overall valu e of t h e firm as det ermin ed by t h e market capit aliz at ion an d t o t h e apparen t ris k of

    t h e firm as det ermin ed by bot h compet it ive bu s in es s (produ ct -market ) an d fin an cial s t ru ct u re (leverage,

    debt /equ it y). In ves t ors , n at u rally, w an t t o ach ieve t h e h igh es t overall ret u rn commen s u rat e w it h a given

    level of ris k. By arran gin g mon et ary t ran s act ion s , exch an ges an d relat ion s h ips amon g econ omic en t it ies ,

    in ves t men t ban ks make t h e capit al market s more efficien t . Mat ch in g t h e h igh ly s pecific profiles of myriad

    is s u ers an d in ves t ors is t h e s pecial capabilit y t h at in ves t men t ban ks offer.

    Scope of Investment BanksFollow in g are fou rt een act ivit ies of in ves t men t ban ks . T h ey can be allocat ed in t o cat egories s u ch as

    Corporat e Fin an ce, Capit al Market s , W ealt h Man agemen t / Privat e Clien t , Alt ern at ive In ves t men ts ,

    an d t h e like.

    Public Offerings of Debt and Equity Securities

    T h ere are fou r gen eral t ypes of pu blic offerin gs : 1) In it ial pu blic offerin gs (IPOs ) of s ecu rit ies is s u ed by

    compan ies t h at h ave n ever before is s u ed an y pu blic s ecu rit ies (n ormally common s t ock is t h e firs t s ecu rit y

    t o be is s u ed in an IPO) 2) In it ial pu blic offerin gs of n ew s ecu rit ies t h at compan ies t h at are already pu blic

    h ave n ot before is s u ed (e.g., a n ew clas s of con vert ible debt s ecu rit y) 3) Fu rt h er pu blic offerin gs of

    s ecu rit ies t h at are already pu blicly t raded (e.g., t h e is s u an ce of addit ion al common s t ock w h en it s price is

    s u fficien t ly h igh s o t h at cos t of capit al is s u fficien t ly low ) 4) Pu blic offerin gs by compan y s h areh olders of

    s ecu rit ies t h at are already pu blicly t raded (e.g., w h en an origin al large s h areh older, s ay a privat e equ it y

    fund, wants to cash out its position).

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    In t h e pas t w e cou ld clean ly differen t iat e debt an d equ it y s ecu rit ies an d pu t t h em in t o s eparat e cat egories .

    In ves t men t grade corporat e bon ds w ere dis t in ct from h igh -yield ( ju n k ) bon ds . T oday t h e old dis t in ct ion s

    are fu z z y. Debt an d equ it y are more poin t s on a con t in u u m t h an boxes on a ch art . Ju n ior s u bordin at ed z ero-

    coupon convertible debentures can be thought more equity than debt and dutch-auction preferred stock can

    be t h ou gh t more debt t h an equ it y. Geograph y, as w ell, is n o lon ger a con s t rain t : Compan ies can reach

    an yw h ere in t h e w orld t o low er t h eir cos t of capit al.

    Private Placements of Debt and Equity Securities

    Privat e placemen t is t h e s ellin g of s ecu rit ies t o in ves t ors w it h ou t t h e regu lat ory requ iremen t s of pu blic

    offerin gs . T h e regu lat ion s defin in g privat e placemen t s are complex an d t h e s ecu rit ies an d in ves t men t

    veh icles offered are n u merou s . Ran gin g from corporat e equ it ies t o real es t at e in t eres t s , privat ely placed

    s ecu rit ies carry a h igh er ret u rn t h an s imilarly s t ru ct u red s ecu rit ies t h at can t rade in t h e pu blic market s . T h e

    los s of liqu idit y en h an ces ris k an d t h erefore requ ires a proport ion ally h igh er ret u rn .

    Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)

    T h is is t h e fron t -page s t u ff t h e h u ge acqu is it ion s , t akeover bat t les , h os t ile at t acks an d fierce defen s es . Bu t

    it s n ot all w ar. T h e vas t majorit y of M& As are frien dly. In ves t men t ban kers s eek t o opt imiz e price an d

    t erms , s o t h at t h e bes t price may n ot be t h e h igh es t price for clien t s ellers (all cas h or con fiden ce in

    clos in g may be more import an t ) n or t h e low es t price for clien t bu yers (cert ain t y of get t in g t h e deal don e

    may be more vit al). In ves t men t ban ks fin d, facilit at e, price, an d fin an ce mergers an d acqu is it ion s . Als o

    in clu ded in M& A are leverage bu you t s by privat e equ it y, t h e res t ru ct u rin g an d recapit aliz at ion of compan ies ,

    an d t h e reorgan iz at ion of t rou bled compan ies .

    Financial Advisory / Sponsor Group Finance

    Fin an cial advis ory s ervices h ave grow n dramat ically as in ves t men t ban ks w ork w it h t h e large n u mber of

    privat e fu n ds h edge fu n ds an d privat e equ it y t h at h ave mu s h roomed in recen t years an d con t rol

    h u n dreds of billion s of dollars . S ervices in clu de (i) rais in g of capit al for gen eral fu n ds , (ii) M& A acqu is it ion s ,

    (iii) fin an cin g acqu is it ion s , (iv) IPOs of port folio compan ies ow n ed by t h e fu n ds (w h en appropriat e) an d (v)

    M& A of t h es e compan ies (w h en IPOs are n ot appropriat e). In ves t men t ban ks like t o in volve t h ems elves w it h

    h edge fu n ds an d privat e equ it y s in ce t h ey are t ran s act ion orien t ed, gen erat e h u ge fees an d are in perpet u al

    deal mode.

    Fairness Opinions

    Fairn es s opin ion s s u pport M& A, leveraged bu you t s an d res t ru ct u rin gs for pu blic compan ies . Providin g an

    in depen den t , defen s ible, expert s t at emen t on valu es an d t h e fairn es s of t h os e valu es is an es s en t ial part

    of any such public transaction. Investment banks command what may seem to be exorbitantly high fees for

    givin g fairn es s opin ion s , con s iderin g t h e n u mber of h ou rs w orked (an d t h e amou n t of paper produ ced). T h e

    reas on is t h e s ign ifican t liabilit y t h e in ves t men t ban k as s u mes , w h ich can be realiz ed bot h in t h e cou rt s via

    s h areh older s u it s an d in in du s t ry repu t at ion . In fact , major in ves t men t ban ks do n ot like t o provide fairn es s

    opin ion s t h e ris ks are t oo h igh for t h e fees bu t gen erally do s o on ly t o s erve import an t clien t s .

    Structured Finance / Securitization

    T h e creat ion of s yn t h et ic fin an cin g mech an is ms an d s t ru ct u res makes pos s ible allocat ion s of capit al w it h

    bet t er ris k-ret u rn feat u res for bot h is s u ers an d in ves t ors . T h is is gen erally ach ieved by in s t ru men t s t h at (i)

    pool as s et s , (ii) allocat e liabilit ies in t o differen t t ren ch es (w it h differen t ris k-ret u rn profiles ), an d (iii) are

    contained within an independent legal entity.

    S ecu rit iz at ion is t h e proces s by w h ich formerly illiqu id as s et s , mos t ly s mall con s u mer receivables of all kin ds

    (e.g., h ome mort gages , au t omot ive loan s , credit card receivables ), can be liqu efied by t h eir bein g rolled

    u p in t o large, pu blicly t radable s ecu rit ies w it h improved ris k-ret u rn for bot h is s u ers an d in ves t ors . (S u ch

    innovations exemplify investment bankings contribution to financial markets.)

    S ecu rit iz ed obligat ion s are s oph is t icat ed in des ign an d oft en requ ire s t at is t ical an alys is an d s en s it ivit y t es t in g

    of key crit eria (e.g., defau lt rat es , prepaymen t profiles , in t eres t rat e s en s it ivit y, t ax ch an ges , et c.). For

    example, a ch an ge from forecas t ed rat es of prepaymen t (e.g., du e t o in t eres t rat e declin es an d t h e

    res u lt in g refin an cin g of older, h igh er-rat e mort gages ) can res u lt in s h ockin g differen ces in ret u rn s from

    in it ial expect at ion s . (Prin cipal it s elf can s u ffer s ign ifican t ly.)

    Ot h er kin ds of s t ru ct u re fin an ce in clu de project fin an ce, w h ich is u s ed t o fu n d large-s cale en t erpris es s u ch

    as pow er plan t s an d in fras t ru ct u re.

    Risk Management

    Hedgin g pos it ion s in in t eres t rat es , foreign cu rren cy exch an ges an d commodit y pos it ion s t h rou gh s w aps ,

    opt ion s an d fu t u res are an es s en t ial bu ildin g block of fin an cial market s . S w aps are t h e mech an is m by w h ich

    t w o or more part ies exch an ge t h eir debt obligat ion s in order t o con t rol more precis ely each part ys des ired

    ris k/ret u rn profile. S w aps w ork becau s e differen t en t it ies h ave differen t comparat ive advan t ages w h en

    pricin g differen t cat egories of debt in differen t fin an cial market s . Part ies of dis s imilar credit rat in gs or

    fin an cin g n eeds can exch an ge t h eir obligat ion s (e.g., from s h ort er t erm t o lon ger t erm an d vice vers a) in

    order t o opt imiz e t h eir fin an cial s t rat egy an d s t ru ct u re. Ris k man agemen t grou ps combin e expert is e in

    divers e h edgin g in s t ru men t s t o develop a complet e h edgin g s t rat egy for en t erpris es .

    Merchant Banking

    Merchant banking is the commitment of an investment banks own capital to equity-level investments and

    part icipat ion s , s eekin g very h igh ret u rn s . S u ch commit men t of capit al is made for t w o gen eral pu rpos es : 1)

    t o facilit at e a clien t t ran s act ion (i.e., a bridge loan u n t il perman en t fin an cin g is obt ain ed) or 2) t o pu rch as e

    s ecu rit ies in an operat in g compan y for t h e firms ow n accou n t (i.e., w h et h er 100% ow n ers h ip by t h e

    in ves t men t ban k, in part n ers h ip w it h a clien t , or as t h e man ager of an LBO[BP1] fu n d). Bridge loan s are

    h igh ly profit able, combin in g commit men t fees , placemen t fees , h igh in t eres t rat es ,an d equ it y kickers .

    Public Trading of Debt and Equity Securities

    Mos t large in ves t men t ban ks main t ain s t ron g t radin g capabilit ies , w h ich is a s ign ifican t t h ou gh volat ile profit

    cen t er profit s are made bot h from commis s ion s gen erat ed by t radin g for clien t s an d from capit al

    appreciat ion gen erat ed by t radin g for t h e firms ow n accou n t . In ves t men t ban ks act as brokers , dealers ,

    an d/or market makers (w h ich can differ for differen t s ecu rit ies ). In addit ion t o t radit ion al s t ocks an d bon ds ,

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    mon ey market in s t ru men t s an d commodit ies (e.g., gold, s ilver, coffee, cru de oil, variou s met als , variou s

    foods ), in ves t men t ban ks creat e s yn t h et ic s ecu rit ies (e.g., s t riped T reas u ries , in t eres t on ly an d prin cipal

    on ly in s t ru men t s ), w h ich by appealin g t o differen t in ves t ors , en h an ce t h e ris k-ret u rn for all.

    Brokers are commis s ion ed agen t s w h o repres en t eit h er bu yers or s ellers an d w ork mu ch as do real es t at e

    agen t s t h ey carry n o s ecu rit ies in in ven t ory an d t h erefore as s u me n o ris k in price variat ion or in t eres t -

    ch arge. Dealers s et bid-an d-as k prices for each s ecu rit y t h ey offer for t rade by main t ain in g an in ven t ory of

    s ecu rit ies , dealers as s u me a price ris k s in ce t h e market may go u p or dow n du rin g t h e t ime t h ey h old t h e

    s ecu rit ies . Market Makers es t ablis h (an d s u pport ) t h e en t ire market for a s ecu rit y on eit h er s ide of a

    t ran s act ion . Brokers an d dealers are regu lat ed by t h e variou s exch an ges of w h ich t h ey are members an d

    t h e Nat ion al As s ociat ion of S ecu rit ies Dealers (NAS D), w h ich is t h e s elf-regu lat in g organ iz at ion t o w h ich

    t h ey all belon g.

    Investment Research and Security Analysis

    For decades , t h e res earch capabilit ies of an in ves t men t ban ks s ecu rit y an alys t s w ere oft en t h e firms mos tpres t igiou s an d vis ible s t ren gt h . (More recen t ly, M& A, IPOs , LBOs , an d privat e equ it y / h edge fu n ds h ave

    u s u rped t h e limeligh t .) In deed, man y in ves t men t ban ks u s ed t h e repu t at ion derived from t h eir in ves t men t

    an alys is expert is e t o develop u n derw rit in g an d mon ey man agemen t bu s in es s es . T ypical s u bdivis ion s are

    Global E qu it ies an d Fixed-In come. T oday, aft er variou s s can dals an d pros ecu t ion s , in ves t men t ban ks mu s t

    en force s t rict compart men t aliz at ion bet w een t h eir corporat e fin an ce an d in ves t men t res earch depart men t s

    (t h e s o-called Ch in es e W all ).

    Wealth Management

    T h e accu mu lat ion of vas t w ealt h by in s t it u t ion al in ves t ors (i.e., pen s ion an d in s u ran ce fu n ds ), an d by rich

    an d s u per-rich in dividu als , h as made mon ey man agemen t a vit al bu s in es s . (For in dividu als , t h e depart men t s

    are called privat e ban kin g or privat e clien t . ) In ves t men t ban ks compet e w it h on e an ot h er, an d w it h

    large commercial ban ks an d s pecializ ed mon ey man agemen t firms in accu mu lat in g as s et s u n der

    man agemen t . Hu n dreds of billion s of dollars are at s t ake.

    Alternative Investments

    T h e in ves t men t s in fin an cial produ ct s ot h er t h an exch an ge-t raded s t ocks an d bon ds h ave become a h u ge

    bu s in es s , s u ch as privat e equ it y, real es t at e, arbit rage, in t ern at ion al, an d t h e like. T h e developmen t of fu n dsu n der man agemen t , in clu din g privat e equ it y an d h edge fu n ds , h as in creas ed dramat ically, an d in ves t men t

    ban ks bot h develop t h eir propriet ary produ ct s an d s ell ot h ers .

    Public / Government Finance

    T h e rais in g of mon ey for govern men t s ( s overeign s ) at all levels : n at ion al govern men t s , s t at e

    governments, county and municipal governments. Also included is working with national governments in the

    privat iz at ion of govern men t as s et s .

    International Investment Banking

    Globaliz at ion is t h e byw ord of in ves t ment ban kin g. Fin an cin g h as become a mu lt i-market s earch for t h e

    low es t cos t of capit al for is s u ers , an d a 24-h ou r-a-day qu es t for t h e h igh es t ret u rn for in ves t ors . Grow t h is

    h igh es t in emergin g market s , t h e opport u n it ies for in ves t men t , u n derw rit in g an d M& A are ext en s ive, an d all

    major in ves t men t ban ks h ave s ign ifican t pres en ce in man y cou n t ries .

    Bot h is s u ers an d in ves t ors s eek t h e opt imu m level of ris k for a given level of ret u rn . S u ch opt imiz at ion s

    cover t h e u n cert ain t ies an d volat ilit ies of in t eres t rat es , cu rren cy exch an ge rat es , credit availabilit y (for

    u s ers of capit al), credit in s t abilit y (for providers of capit al) an d equ it y in ves t men t s . Opt imu m ris k for a given

    ret u rn , or con vers ely opt imu m ret u rn for a given level of ris k, is ach ieved by u s in g t ech n iqu es of fin an cet h eory s u ch as h edgin g an d divers ificat ion . T h e in t ern at ion al expan s ion of on es in ves t men t h oriz on s allow s

    more efficien t opt imiz at ion procedu res for bot h is s u ers an d in ves t ors i.e., in ves t men t port folios can be

    divers ified more w idely, t h ereby expan din g t h eir ris k/ret u rn fron t ier an d ach ievin g h igh er efficien cy.

    Underwriting Public OfferingsThe public offering of debt and equity securities is the foundation of investment banking. Although the term

    u n derw rit ing s eems t o imply an abs olu t e gu aran t ee t h at t h e man agin g in ves t men t ban k an d it s s yn dicat e

    members (i.e., t h e u n derw rit ers ) w ill be legally bou n d t o pu rch as e t h e s ecu rit ies from t h e is s u in g compan y,

    t h e real w orld is more complicat ed. Regardin g an in it ial pu blic offerin g, t h ere are really on ly t w o approach es

    that an investment bank can take: firm commitment or best efforts.

    Firm Commitment

    A firm commit men t mean s t h at t h e man agin g in ves t ment ban k an d it s s yn dicat e w ill agree t o bu y t h e

    en t ire is s u e at a n egot iat ed price. T h e u n derw rit ers w ill t h en res ell t h es e s h ares t o it s clien t s , makin g as it s

    profit s t h e previou s ly n egot iat ed s pread, w h ich is t h e differen ce bet w een t h e gros s proceeds paid by t h e

    pu blic an d t h e n et proceeds given t o t h e is s u er. T h is mean s t h at t h e u n derw rit ers bear t h e en t ire ris k of

    per s h are pricin g an d t h e amou n t of t ot al proceeds rais ed. (It s h ou ld be s t res s ed t h at a firm commit men t is oft en n ot as firm as it s ou n ds . A firm commit men t on ly becomes abs olu t ely firm on t h e offerin g day

    it s elf (or t h e n igh t before) ju s t before t h e is s u e goes effect ive, w h ich is t h e momen t w h en t h e S E C gives

    it s fin al approval. Un t il t h en t h e firm commit men t is n ot firm, n o mat t er w h o promis es w h at t o w h om.

    (E ven t h en t h e u n derw rit in g agreemen t is n ot perfect ly firm it h as variou s ou t s , for market dis t u rban ces ,

    act s of God, an d t h e like.) Fu rt h ermore, all t h e market in g of t h e is s u e h as already been don e t h e road

    s h ow s h ave been con du ct ed an d t h e u n derw rit in g s yn dicat e members kn ow w h ich of t h eir clien t s are

    commit t ed t o bu y h ow man y s h ares . T h ey kn ow if t h e is s u e is overs old or u n ders old an d can make fin al

    adju s t men t s t o price accordin gly. T h e bot t om lin e is t h at w h en in ves t men t ban ks give firm commit men t s

    they have little uncertainty.

    Best Efforts

    A bes t effort s relat ion s h ip is w h ere t h e in ves t ment ban k u s es it s expert is e as s t ru ct u rer in des ign in g t h e

    is s u e an d as market er in s ellin g t h e is s u e. T h is mean s t h at t h e u n derw rit ers bear n o ris k in t h e deal, leavin g

    to the issuing company all the uncertainty of per share pricing and the amount of total proceeds to be

    rais ed.

    The Underwriting Process

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    T h e u n derw rit in g proces s is a formal proces s in volvin g man y s imu lt an eou s fu n ct ion s , procedu res ,

    requ iremen t s an d act ivit ies . Follow in g are s ome of t h e crit ical s t eps : compan y in t eres t an d u n derw rit er

    s elect ion , prelimin ary an alys is of is s u e s t ru ct u re an d s ecu rit ies pricin g, du e diligen ce review s by

    u n derw rit ers an d t h eir cou n s els , legal an d accou n t in g an alys is an d docu men t preparat ion , prelimin ary

    compilation of the registration statement, submission of registration statement to the Security and Exchange

    Commis s ion (S E C), circu lat ion of prelimin ary pros pect u s t o pros pect ive in ves t ors , in format ion meet in gs

    ( road s h ow s ) in major cit ies for des cribin g t h e compan y an d it s s ecu rit ies , receive an d res pon d t o S E C

    commen t s , fin al pricin g n egot iat ion s an d s ign in g t h e u n derw rit in g agreemen t , fin al regis t rat ion s t at emen t

    filed w it h t h e S E C, S E C approval declarin g t h e is s u e effect ive, pres s releas es an d t ombs t on e advert is emen t ,

    clos in g an d s et t lemen t .

    In ves t men t ban ks are at t h e cen t er of bu s in es s an d fin an ce, an d all s en ior execu t ives , irres pect ive of t h eir

    direct res pon s ibilit ies , n eed t o u n ders t an d w h at t h ey do an d h ow t h ey do it .

    ABOUT ROBERT LAWRENCE KUHN

    Dr. Robert Lawrence K uhn i s an i nternati onal corporate s trategi s t, i nves tment banker and expert

    on Chi na. Si nce 1989, he has worked wi th Chi nas s eni or l eaders and advi s ed the Chi nes e

    government on matters of economi c pol i cy, i ndus tri al pol i cy, mergers and acqui s i ti ons , s ci ence

    and technol ogy, medi a and cul ture, Si no-U . S. rel ati ons , and a vari ety of i nternati onal bus i nes s

    matters . Dr. K uhn advi s es l eadi ng mul ti nati onal compani es , CE O s and C-Sui te executi ves ,

    regardi ng formul ati ng and i mpl ementi ng Chi na s trategi es i n a vari ety of s ectors , i ncl udi ng s ci ence and

    technol ogy, energy and res ources , i ndus tri al , medi a and entertai nment, heal thcare / medi cal / pharmaceuti cal s ,

    cons umer products , and fi nanci al s ervi ces . He works wi th major Chi nes e compani es on s tructuri ng thei r capi tal

    markets fi nanci ng and M&A acti vi ti es .

    Thousands of Potential New

    Regulations Have CEOs Concerned

    What, me worry?

    4 Steps That Will Help New CEOs

    Grow in Their Leadership Role

    Justin, I appreciate

    the comment. If you look all over the

    web...please do a search...you'll find

    hy Crony Capitalism Hurts Us All

    The issue is one

    of communications and the Constitution.

    Americans have

    Why CEOs Are Losing Credibility and

    How They Can Rebuild It

    "CEOs" aren't losing

    credibility in a general sense. Each

    person should be judged individually.

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