Based in London, UK, Loan Market Association (LMA) are the trade body for the Europe, Middle East and Africa syndicated loan market. The LMA was founded in 1996 to assist in developing the secondary loan market in Europe, which was in its infancy.

Working with lenders, law firms, borrowers and regulators, the LMA seeks to educate the market about the syndicated loan product as a key debt product available to borrowers and remove entry barriers for new participants.

Over 770 organisations are listed across 65 countries (2021) as members of the LMA, comprising commercial and investment banks, institutional investors, law firms, rating agencies, and service providers. The LMA has gained substantial recognition and expanded activities to include all aspects of the primary and secondary syndicated loan markets.

The main work of the LMA includes:

• Documentation & Market Guidelines: Establishing wide-ranging market guidelines for the primary and secondary Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) syndicate loan markets
• Regulation & Lobbying: Lobbying regulators and government bodies ensuring new or revised regulations do not have an adverse impact on the syndicated loan market
• Education & Events: Providing training and events for members throughout the EMEA region
• Loan operations: Increasing efficiency and standardisation to the operational and settlement aspects of the syndication process

The LMA promotes growth and innovation in the sustainable and green lending markets. Their current initiatives include:

• Standardisation of various documentation and clauses to support the environmental, social and government market
• Developing a standard set of material disclosure topics in conjunction with The European Leveraged Finance Association and the Principles for Responsible Investment
• Supporting Green Finance Institute in identifying the role of finance in the retrofitting and development of low-carbon UK homes
• Assisting the drafting of International Organisation of Standardisations standards on green debt instruments
• Participating in various International Capital Market Association working groups

Objective:

Our key objective is improving liquidity, efficiency and transparency in the primary and secondary syndicated loan markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). By establishing sound, widely accepted market practice, we seek to promote the syndicated loan as one of the key debt products available to borrowers across the region.

The Loan Market Association charges its members an annual subscription fee.

Find out more about membership categories and subscription fees here.