We're happy to reveal our picks for the best deals and dealmakers of 2013 in our annual Achievement Awards. Nominated by parties including banks and borrowers and chosen by the EMEA Finance team, our winning houses and transactions exemplify the kind of innovative efforts taking place in the region’s capital markets.

As always, we congratulate all of our winners on their achievements and the new ground broken by so much of their work. Full editorial coverage of the awards will appear in the forthcoming edition of EMEA Finance.

• Divestment is latest in HSBC’s long-term strategy to improve profitability.
   
• Arab Jordan Investment Bank buys business, with most employees transferring.
   
• Spokesperson: “We assess [our businesses] in six areas [and make] a decision whether to invest in, restructure, continue or exit a country or business.”

Russian investment bank takes 9% in Italian advisory firm. 

Nigerian bank finalises US$100mn deal to enter Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

Speculation arose after Austrian peer Raiffeisen confirmed sale negotiations for its own local business.

As 2013 comes to an end, EMEA Finance is proud to launch its annual Achievement Awards, recognising the past year's top capital markets deals and the firms behind them.

As well as our headline 'Deal of the Year' award, we have individual categories for debt markets, equity markets and depositary receipts, syndicated loans, structured finance, Islamic finance, M&A and private equity and restructuring.

Read on for more details on the submission process. A complete list of categories can be viewed here.

Spokesperson cites inactivity as reason for withdrawal.

Polish bank snapped up for US$1.4bn. 

Big Russian financial group buys 24.17% Otkritie Bank stake from government.

Tobacco giant buys 20% stake in distributor Megapolis. 

Turkish bank acquires 99.9% of ALease. 

As Sberbank announces a new strategy to take it through to 2018, vice-president Denis Bugrov tells EMEA Finance about the role its CEE/CIS businesses outside of Russia will play.