To be counted among the most admired and also to be regarded as among the best employers are obviously correlated with each other. In the 9th Annual Global Most Admired Knowledge Enterprises (MAKE) Study by Telcos, the Tata Group has been recognised as one of World’s Most Admired Knowledge Enterprises (MAKE) in 2006 and the 2006 Indian MAKE Winner. Toyota is the overall winner for the second time in a row. The 2006 Global MAKE Report also points out an interesting global trend. European knowledge-driven organisations are failing to keep pace with their Asian and North American counterparts, in an environment where organisations are increasingly relying on innovation to gain competitive advantage.

The organisations were rated by a panel of Global Fortune 500 senior executives and internationally–recognised knowledge management experts. MAKE has a specific framework comprising eight key knowledge performance parameters to assess organisations.

At the same time, Tata Steel has been adjudged as among the best employers in the Asia Pacific by Hewitt Associates.

With a Memorandum of Understanding being inked between the Bangladesh Olympic Association and Tata Steel, sportsmen and women from the neighbouring country will have the opportunity to utilise the Company’s international standard facilities at Jamshedpur to train.

“We have some of the best training facilities in sports and hope that we will quickly bring the levels of the chosen athletes to international standards,” Mr Satish Pillai, Chief, Sports & TFA, said immediately after the MoU was signed.

Several areas where initial emphasis will be given have already been identified. “This is part of our ongoing effort to engage with sports in Bangladesh,” explained Mr Manzer Hussain, Resident Director, Tata Group Bangladesh. Mr A N Singh, Deputy Managing Director (Corporate Services) was exceedingly impressed with the commitment of BOA to promoting sports. “This MoU is a step towards Tata Group’s intent of becoming a partner in the progress of Bangladesh. It will help further strengthen the bonds between sports lovers of the region,” he avered. Mr Singh had signed the MoU on behalf of Tata Steel, while the Acting Secretary General of BOA, Mr Kutubuddin Ahmed was the signatory for the Association.

Tata Steel has mandated the following banks as Lead Arrangers - Standard Chartered Bank, ABN-AMRO Bank N.V., Citigroup Global Markets Singapore Pte Ltd., Calyon, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd., First Commercial Bank Ltd., Maybank, Mizhuo Corporate Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Ltd. - to raise a Syndicated Term Loan of US Dollars 750 Million.

The fund-raising was launched on August 24 at a well attended Roadshow in Taipei and has been fully subscribed to by participating banks including the Lead Arrangers.

This loan has a 7 year door-to-door maturity with an all-in pricing at 54 basis points over Libor. S&P has reaffirmed a corporate credit of BBB for Tata Steel and assigned the same to this Loan as well.

The funds raised under this Loan will be deployed towards capital expenditure as part of Tata Steel’s expansion programme and any future acquisitions. Apart from the current fund raising, Tata Steel has raised US Dollar 100 million from IFC, another US Dollars 300 Million as part of an IFC led Syndication and a Japanese Yen equivalent of US Dollars 500 Million Syndicated Loan Facility in the last 18 months.