Eksportfinans on the up

Over the past three years, the third-party issuer of choice in the US for Wachovia, Merrill Lynch and many other firms is Norway's AAA-rated, government-backed Eksportfinans. Negin Janati of the Structured Products Association asks Soren Elbach, a director at the Norwegian export credit agency, about the secret of its success in the US

There are several big names that are looking to be the primary issuers of other firms' structured products, yet Eksportfinans is the clear leader - without even having an office in the US. How did you accomplish this?

First, through a relentless commitment to continually expanding our investor base via onsite personal presentations. And second, by leveraging our longstanding relationships with US banks' London and Tokyo offices. Of course, it helps us a lot having a US Civil War buff on the team