The News: Bidding War For Asia Banking Talent

Big institutions' race to expand in Asia is sparking bidding wars for top bankers. The region appears immune from the public ire against high pay packages for bankers.

The Financial Times reports:

A shortage of talent combined with rivalry among banks to expand or rebuild operations across the fast-growing region has sent compensation levels for some bankers soaring to levels last seen before the financial turmoil, according to headhunters and bankers.

The aggressive bidders include bailed-out institutions such as Citigroup, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and UBS. Other banks expanding staff in the region include Standard Chartered, Barclays, Deutsche Bank and Nomura.

Senior bankers in niche areas are being wooed with multimillion-dollar deals that include one-year or two-year bonus guarantees - even reportedly running to $10 million packages for bankers with "proven ability" to bring in revenue in China. "The return of such packages and bonuses could spark furore among politicians and regulators in the US and Europe," the FT observes.

Western Banks Pay Out For Asia Talent [FT]

Standard Chartered Beefing Up Asian Equities Business [WSJ]

Morgan Stanley Will Be Citi Stake Underwriter [CNBC]

Citi Said to Bulk Up Prime Brokerage Business [FT, via NY Times]

Angels Sing: 'Frankly Ridiculous' Restrictions Might 'Destroy Silicon Valley' [VentureBeat]

AIG Unit Feels Effects of Pay Limits [WSJ]

Paulson's $32 Billion Funds Prompt Too-Big-to-Succeed Concerns [Bloomberg News]

BTG Pactual Banks on Growth [WSJ]

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