SLF EUROPEAN AWARDS
AWARDS
HOW IT WORKS
A four-stage process designed to ensure results reflecting genuine market opinion, validated by independent expert judges.
Voting
8 Jul - 14 Aug 2026
Open voting from verified market participants. Vote weightings reflect the depth of each voter's direct experience with SLF transactions.
Shortlisting
19 Aug - 28 Aug 2026
Shortlists are compiled from voting data and reviewed by the DealCatalyst editorial team. Shortlisted firms are invited to submit supporting material.
Submission
2 Sep - 2 Oct 2026
Shortlisted firms submit evidence of their work and achievements. Submissions are evaluated by the independent judges panel.
Judging
Oct 2026
An independent panel of senior market practitioners reviews all submissions against the voting data to determine final winners.
METHODOLOGY
Designed in consultation with the SLF market to ensure the process rewards genuine excellence.
DealCatalyst has developed a methodology for the SLF European Awards that recognises the unique characteristics of the specialist lender finance market. Votes are weighted by the voter's role and closeness to SLF transactions, ensuring allocators and liquidity providers — who have the most direct view of performance — carry the greatest influence.
Vote Weightings by Participant Type
|
5 |
3 |
2 |
|
Allocators, LPs, & Institutional Investors |
Specialist Lending Platforms, Banks, & Borrowers |
All Other Verified Participants |
Points Allocation
| RANKING | BASE POINTS | BONUS POINTS AVAILABLE? |
| 1st choice | 3 points | Yes - if a valid reason is provided |
| 2nd choice | 2 points | Yes - if a valid reason is provided |
| 3rd choice | 1 point | Yes - if a valid reason is provided |
| Self-vote | 0 points | No |
| Bonus Point — Reasoning Requirement Voters who provide a valid, substantive reason for their nomination receive an additional bonus point for that vote. This incentivizes informed voting and discourages block-voting campaigns. The reasoning is reviewed by the DealCatalyst editorial team and is not published. |
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Eligibility & Validation
All votes are validated by the DealCatalyst team before inclusion in the final count. Self-votes, duplicates, non-verified participants and votes from individuals who cannot demonstrate a relevant connection to the SLF market are removed. Final results are subject to review by the independent judging panel
AWARDS CATEGORIES
Recognizing excellence across the full SLF value chain — platforms, capital providers, advisers and service providers.
2026 Timeline
Key dates for the DealCatalyst SLF European Awards program.
8 July 2026
Voting Opens
All verified market participants invited to vote. Registration required to participate.
14 August 2026
Voting Closes
Final date to cast votes. Late submissions will not be accepted.
19 - 28 August 2026
Shortlisting
Shortlists compiled and shortlisted firms notified. Submission portal opens.
2 September - 2 October 2026
Submission Window
Shortlisted firms submit supporting evidence for review by the judging panel.
Awards Ceremony
Winners announced at the DealCatalyst SLF European Conference gala dinner. Location TBC.
1. Brief and scoping
We meet to understand your objectives, target audience, and the questions you want answered. We advise on survey design, sample size, and the format best suited to your goals.
2. Survey design and fieldwork
Our research team designs the questionnaire with your input and deploys it to the relevant segment of the DealCatalyst delegate network. Fieldwork typically takes two to three weeks.
3. Analysis and editorial
We analyse the data, identify the key findings, and write the report. You review a draft before publication. Reports can be co-branded with the DealCatalyst Intelligence mark or published under your brand as a white-label product.
4. Publication and distribution
The report is published on the DealCatalyst Intelligence hub and promoted across email, LinkedIn, and our events programme. You receive verified lead data on every downloader.
5. Performance reporting
Four weeks after publication we provide a full performance report covering downloads, audience demographics, geographic reach, email opens, and qualified leads generated.