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CURRENT ISSUE
ISSUE 08 / 2026-09-14

Basalt Ridge Developments

PROPERTYNEW-TO-BANKDIFFICULTY 3/5 · 6 MIN

A Christchurch townhouse developer — six completed projects in eight years, all with a second-tier lender — wants US$8.5m of senior debt for 24 townhouses at 55% of total cost. Presales are at 40% against a 60% policy, the claimed 28% ROE has no settlement statements behind it, and two other banks are circling while your bank chases a growth target.

Open the case
THE REQUEST
Senior debtUS$8.5m · 24 townhouses
AskA first deal, new to the bank
Presales40% · policy asks 60%
THE COURTSHIP
  • Six projects in eight years. None with your bank.
  • Two other banks have the deck.
  • Your bank has a growth target this quarter.
FY25 SNAPSHOT
SOURCE: COMPANY-PREPARED · UNAUDITED · COMPOSITE CASE — FICTIONAL
LOAN TO COST
55%
▲of total cost
PRESALES
40%
▼policy asks 60%
CLAIMED ROE
28%
▲unverified
SUBURB PRICES
−4%
▼over six months
CONTINGENCY
3.5%
▼of build cost
FIGURES ROUNDED · PROJECT (developer feasibility · unverified) · COMPOSITE CASE — FICTIONAL

WHO THIS IS FOR

8 CASES · 16 CHAIRS · 3 TOOLS · 32 GUIDES · ALL FREE

Not sure which door, or want the whole order? Four reading orders, one per door

The files

8 cases live · 4 coming · always free
08 · OPEN
Basalt Ridge Developments
A new-to-bank developer, a claimed 28% ROE and two other banks circling. Your bank has a growth target.
07
Coastline Retail Group
NPAT up 9%. Operating cash flow down 31%. The dividend consent request is on your desk.
06
Kowhai Retail Group
Last Christmas didn't clear. This year's buy is up 22%. The seasonal uplift request is in.
05
Meridian Logistics
One customer is now 58% of revenue — and the expansion request is for assets dedicated to that customer. The contract has a 90-day break clause.
04
Highview Industries
Same request as Issue 01 on the surface. A completely different file underneath.
03
Kauri Dairy Holdings
The patriarch is retiring. The bank hears about the succession plan from the accountant first.
02
Aoraki Trade Exports
Paid in USD, costs in NZD, asking for a NZ$6m multi-currency facility. The MD won't say which currencies.
01
Pacific Premium Foods
Revenue's grown 50% in two years. Operating cash flow flipped negative. The MD wants more facility.
FROM THE LAB VAULT
TOOLKIT · LIVEUS$19

Manufacturing Banking Toolkit

A senior banker's reading guide to manufacturing facility reviews. 20-page PDF + 9-sheet Excel workbook.

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CASE PACK · LIVEUS$39

Banking Interview Case Pack Vol 1

Four composite cases with the senior banker's read. 42-page PDF + Excel workbook.

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FROM THE BOOK

How Bankers Think

Inside Commercial Banking's Hidden Curriculum

The way commercial bankers actually think — the temperament the interview is really testing, made explicit.

Commercial banking is defined less by technical content — learnable in a year — than by a specific way of looking at the world. Eight chapters and three appendices set out the frameworks senior bankers use and the dispositions they listen for.

BY MICHAEL SHANG · HIGHBANK PRESS

Buy on Amazon About the book

Paperback, ebook, and hardcover · First edition 2026 · 370 pages

How Bankers Think — book cover