MIAMI—Scores of international banks have opened offices in Miami since the Florida International Bankers Association was founded in 1979. But with the flood of foreign investors acquiring condos, snapping up office buildings and developing multimillion-dollar commercial properties, 2012 has seen a flood of recent office lease transactions from the international finance sector.

Banco de Crédito e Inversiones, Chile's fourth-largest bank, is the latest to expand its office presence in Miami, settling into 22,567 square feet at the Southeast Financial Center. The deal doubles the size of the bank's office footprint in Miami and brings the tower's total leases to the international finance sector to 124,353 square feet so far this year.

"As the domestic and Latin American economies experienced stabilization, cautious growth has drawn marquis companies to Southeast Financial Center's iconic status, complementary tenant base and hub as the business epicenter of Downtown Miami," says Donald Cartwright, SVP with Jones Lang LaSalle. "The banking sector, both domestic and international, is very active in the market and we expect to see more expansions and relocations."

Cartwright and JLL VP Nicole Vassilaros are the exclusive leasing agents for Southeast Financial Center. Doug Campbell, president of the Campbell Group, represented the tenant in the transaction.

Other recent international financial sector leases here include Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch in Southeast Financial Center; Credit Agricole, UBS and Doral Money in Brickell; Lloyds Bank in Downtown Miami; and Banesco, Banco de Credito Peru, and Banco Pichincha in Coral Gables.

"Without question, the roads of economic prosperity for the Americas run through Miami," says Grisel Vega, general manager with Banco de Crédito e Inversiones. "As international companies create inroads within Miami as the gateway to the region, they require myriad services specific for financial growth. We felt the timing was perfect to expand our operations, and Southeast Financial Center is emblematic of our strategy and brand integrity."

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