The LMA had the privilege to be in the Middle East to engage with key stakeholders across the region’s loan markets and reinforce our commitment to supporting the GCC loan ecosystem – enhancing liquidity, efficiency, transparency and sustainability across the regional loan market.
Our CEO, Scott McMunn, and Head of Sustainability, Gemma Lawrence-Pardew, led the visit, which included running a co-hosted Global Private Credit | Middle East Investors’ conference with DealCatalyst, the ADGM, and the LSTA. Around this we held bilateral meetings and roundtable discussions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. These engagements provided us with the opportunity to connect with approximately 60 firms involved in the Middle East loan markets, including banks, non-bank lenders, borrowers, technology solutions platforms, and limited partners.
The goal? What can the LMA do more of to support our markets.
Lets dive into and explore what we have achieved:
Highlights from the DealCatalyst Event
A special thanks to Todd Anderson, Chris Hunt, and the entire DealCatalyst team for organising an exceptional event. The conference brought together a diverse group of senior, market-leading participants, many of whom are actively involved in or curious about private credit. The discussions aligned closely with LMA priorities, including fund finance, supporting liquidity, the growing importance of non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs), and the continued expansion of Middle East loan markets. It was fascinating to hear from so many LPs either already investing or curious about the asset class.
One of the stand out moment was the fireside chat between Scott McMunn and Dave Gillett Head of Media Rights at Extreme H. This focussed on the intersection of ESG investing and sports finance and explored the main concept of sports finance as an investible asset class. The session highlighted the innovative intersection of finance and sustainability, particularly through the lens of Extreme H, a PIF-backed and FIA-affiliated initiative. Looking at history of sports finance globally and the key drivers such as media rights and sponsorship. It was also significant to touch on the motivations of investing and where upside (and of course downside) could emerge.
It was also a pleasure to reconnect with the LSTA and Sean Griffin, further strengthening our global partnership and shared goals.
Sustainability Roundtable: A Growing Focus in the Middle East
A huge thank you to FAB for hosting our first Middle East Sustainability Roundtable! The interest in sustainability within the UAE is growing rapidly, with exciting opportunities emerging for both use-of-proceeds instruments and sustainability-linked loans driven by the country’s commitment to becoming a global leader in green finance and achieving its climate goals.
Gemma’s reflection on the key takeaways from the roundtable included:
- Transition Finance: A recurring theme was the importance of transition finance in supporting companies as they move toward more sustainable practices.
- Early Engagement: There is a critical need to engage companies early in their sustainability journeys to ensure meaningful progress and alignment with global standards.
- Education for Baseline Development: To effectively scale a robust sustainability market, there is a pressing need for education to ensure a baseline of understanding across companies, investors, and other stakeholders.
- Regional Momentum: With sustainability interest scaling across the Middle East, now is the perfect time for the LMA to launch a dedicated Middle East Sustainability Taskforce. This initiative will help drive thought leadership, collaboration, and innovation in sustainable finance across the region.
If you’re interested in learning more or getting involved, please contact Gemma Lawrence-Pardew for details!
Roundtable with Simmons & Simmons
Our roundtable with Simmons & Simmons was a wonderful opportunity for dialogue and engagement with Dubai-based banks and funds. Scott was joined by Muneer Khaan, Lucy Sherwood and other senior decision makers of the market to deep dive into the themes around fund formation, set up and the standardisation of loan documentation. Topics of discussion included loan data, regulatory engagement, fund formation, the role of the LMA in the Middle East, and even LMA Automate. A big thank you to Lucy, Marun, and Celia for hosting and facilitating such a thought-provoking debate.
Roundtable with LoanBook
Thanks to Mark Waters and Siddharth Bhandari at LoanBook for another engaging session. The roundtable provoked some healthy challenges and stirred conversations around the evolving role of the LMA. We explored emerging loan technologies, their use cases, and the existing solutions that deliver cost and efficiency benefits. It was fascinating to see how technology is reshaping the loan markets and driving innovation.
We followed this with an amazing networking gathering and it was amazing to see so many firms come along and share their thoughts on the LMA and focus points.
LMA Middle East Committee Updates
We were delighted to be able to meet bilaterally with three of the ME Committee and hear updates from Tonmoy Andalib (FAB), Zain Zaidi (Citi), and Fatima Siddiqi (Standard Chartered) on the Middle East book of work and how to shape the year ahead. This is an exciting period for the LMA and our role in the region’s loan markets. The committee’s insights and challenges were well-received, and we look forward to incorporating their feedback into our plans. This was further augmented by the above mentioned roundtable and networking drinks and we will update a detailed plan in April.
Key Takeaways from the Visit
- Strong Recognition of the LMA Brand
It was incredibly positive to see the high level of recognition and respect for the LMA brand and the work we do in the loan markets. For those less familiar with our initiatives, there was genuine interest in joining the LMA family, underscoring the value we bring to the industry. - Desire for Greater LMA Involvement
Stakeholders expressed a clear desire for the LMA to expand its efforts in the Middle East. Key areas of interest included:- Developing Sharia-compliant loan documentation.
- Hosting events outside the UAE.
- Providing training and education for the next generation of talent.
- Offering thought leadership and guidance on market trends.
- Impactful Engagement
Our work is not only welcomed but also seen as highly impactful and beneficial to the region’s loan markets. This reinforces our mission to drive innovation, collaboration, and growth in the industry.
Next Steps: Building on the Momentum
The success of this visit has set the stage for even greater collaboration and impact in the Middle East. We’re excited to announce that we’ll be back in the region in April! Stay tuned for more updates on our initiatives, events, and opportunities to engage with the LMA.
The Middle East loan markets are vibrant, dynamic, and full of potential. The LMA is proud to play a role in supporting their growth and development, and we look forward to continuing this journey with our partners and stakeholders across the region.
Finally, we’d like to repeat our gratitude to DealCatalyst, LoanBook, Simmons & Simmons, and First Bank Abu Dhabi (FAB) for their invaluable support in making this visit possible and a resounding success. And to Dave Gillett and all at Extreme H for injecting some fascinating subject matter to a broader loan remit.
