He convinced the company to spin off coffee and doughnut chain Tim Hortons (nyse: THI - news - people ) and got some of his handpicked candidates on Wendy's board.

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Along with E-L Financial, the other newcomers were chemicals group Methanex (nasdaq: MEOH - news - people ) at No. 1978, construction company SNC-Lavalin Group at No. 1791 and hotel and restaurateur Tim Hortons (nyse: THI - news - people ) at No. 1931.

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The bond's real significance is that it diversifies Vietnam's sources of financing and establishes a benchmark for future capital raisings, says Le Thi Bang Tam, the vice-finance minister.

ECONOMIST: Vietnam's maiden international bond: Hanoi calling | The

The boom is good news for people like apartment owner Bui Vu Thi, but it's bad news for people like 48-year-old Nguyen Anh Tuan, a security guard at a state-run school in Hanoi.

NPR: Real Estate Booms in Communist Vietnam