July 9, 2020

Three officers of First Metro Investment Corporation, the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group, were recognized as among the region’s best in Trading and Sales by The Asset in its Asian Local Currency Bond Benchmark Review 2020.

Dave Ignacio Estacio, vice president and head of Local Debt Markets, is one of the top five (ranked 4th) individuals in Trading, Bernice Joyce Nobleza, senior manager/trader, is among the Highly Commended individuals in Trading and Mary Grace Ong-Singson, assistant vice president and head of Institutional Sales is one of the Highly Commended individuals in Sales.

The Asian Local Currency Bond Benchmark Review by The Asset has been conducted annually since 2000. It provides a wealth of data on the product needs of investors and the market penetration of the banks that are active in local currency bonds. It also provides a detailed analysis on the investors’ buying behavior when selecting their counterparties, giving unique access into the minds of these investors. The Asset surveyed over 300 fixed income investors across 11 Asian markets comprised of local and regional institutions including asset managers, hedge funds, and local and international banks. Insurance companies, pension funds and trusts across the Asia are also interviewed.