Any DCM banker will tell you its important to know your clients. But there’s a reason why that obvious truism is so often repeated. “I know one guy who took a can of Coke into a meeting with Pepsi,” said one senior debt banker. “That went down really quite badly."

"I know another guy who works with Daimler Chrysler so he bought a Daimler Chrysler. If you visit certain car companies, you sure as hell better turn up in the right car."