The partnership of Bob Elfring and Diego De Giorgi at the top of Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s corporate and investment bank in Europe, the Middle East and Africa has yet to reach its first anniversary, but it is clear the Dutch-Italian duo has already formed a complementary pairing.

Both speak confidently and convincingly about the progress the bank has made, with De Giorgi brandishing a thick document he receives weekly on progress throughout the businesses under his and Elfring's ambit, setting out the distance already covered.