Bruno Mejean

Bruno Mejean is Senior Vice President, Structured Finance in the New York Branch of Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (Nord/LB), responsible for developing the branch's project, export and trade financing activities.

Previously Mr. Mejean was Director-Project Finance and Development at Raytheon Engineers & Constructors, responsible for power projects and was Manager of Chase Manhattan Bank's relationships with Eximbank, the Private Export Funding Corporation (PEFCO), and the Overseas Private Investment Corp.

Mejean said, "globalisation of markets is a reality; Economic integration is moving inexorably onwards, and NORD/LB has adapted its business strategy to meet the changing market conditions."

NORD/LB has systematically expanded its network of branches and representative offices since its foundation 30 years ago, having started out as a state bank (Landesbank).

The Bank's economic background means that it is continually facing new challenges. The EU debate on the public sector in Germany is of paramount importance. NORD/LB feels that it is possible to reflect the requirements of free and fair competition, without neglecting the special responsibility that the public banking sector has towards savers, small and medium-sized businesses and social needs in their business regions.

Another future task stems from the revision of the Basle Accord. The new Basle Accord will have a considerable impact on credit risk management and on capital requirements, as well as requiring systematic rating instruments to be introduced for lending operations.

Investment bankings is booming worldwide. Following the introduction of the euro and the creation of an integrated European capital and money market, NORD/LB has intensified further its international issue activities and created the preconditions for this at the beginning of the year converting the bonds into the euro.

NORD/LB involved in growth markets outside Germany. Scandinavia, the Baltic states and Poland are the focus of its international strategy. The Bank has branch offices in New York, London and Singapore and is increasing its presence in Asia. On November 4, 1999 NORD/LB's new representative office in Peking was opened.

NORD/LB's Corporate Finance division expanded its activities. The Bank is represented both domestically and internationally in this expanding market with a range of structured financing, project finance and privatization consultancy services.

NORD/LB Group was awarded the title "Deal of the Year for Power and Utilities" for Herforder Abwasser GmbH, the first transaction if its kind in Germany.

Consultancy to the public sector on privatizations is becoming increasingly important as business sector. NORD/LB won further commissions, particularly in the field of utilities and waste disposal as well as in the sector of transport infrastructure.

All sector's of NORD/LB Group's international business developed. The New York, Singapore and London branches made an important contribution towards strengthening the business activities in major world regions. NORD/LB has expanded further its specialization on resolving complex problems, particularly in the fields of international export and project finance, trade finance and structured finance. Numerous new projects were initiated and implemented in the utilities and waste disposal sectors as well as infrastructure, transport and energy. The Bank acted as underwriter for the project financing of a power plant and a sea water desalinization plant in the United Arab Emirates.