Project Finance —The Lender’s Perspective

Abstract

The financing of large-scale energy and natural-resources projects has evolved into a major competitive testing-ground in international banking. Alongside the sheer size of the financing needs, the lending technique involved and project-evaluation requirements are generally sufficiently complex and innovative that relatively few among the major international banks have been able to put together the financial and technical resources necessary to carry out the necessary ‘financial engineering’ services involved. Driven in part by increased competition and growing pressure on the profitability and risks of conventional international lending, these banks have succeeded in leveraging their expertise and recognised capabilities in a broad range of banking functions in ways that offer comprehensive financial support and advice throughout a project’s life. The returns to banks able to compete effectively for project financing business can be very substantial indeed.