TOP TIPS FOR WRITING YOUR DEBTWIRE DIRECT LENDING AWARDS PITCH

If you’re asking yourself how to condense a year of deals into your 300-word pitch, then look no further. We recognise deals from 1st January 2022 – 31st December 2022. 

Let's start at the beginning.   How do we get our Direct lending funds and fund managers shortlists together?  Each of the firms who successfully make the shortlist are invited to write a 300 word pitch.   The pitch is handed to a panel of Direct lending experts and veterans who will review all the entries received, compare it with our league table data and debate who deserves to win. 

We will provide the judges panel with the following data during the judging process:

• Your league table ranking for the category 
• The overall deal count for your firm in each nominated category. 

Your pitch needs to tell the story behind these numbers.

The judges want to know why you deserve to win. An ideal pitch will show how you added value to deal processes, supported clients and offered creative solutions to complex situations.

Your pitch may choose to highlight your successes across several different deals. Explain why these deals were so important and what you did as a direct lender to get them across the line.

Sometimes, one deal says it all. If you worked on a landmark deal that tells the story of your year, then make clear you have selected one example to highlight. The judges look for the direct contribution your firm made to the process. 

What the judges are asked to ignore:

• Any reference to non-Debtwire awards and rankings
• Deals that don’t meet our criteria for inclusion in Debtwire database

Some other useful notes:

• The pitches are treated as confidential documents. However, please clearly mark any previously undisclosed information as “confidential”.
• There’s no need for a presentation, illustrations or pitchbooks; just a single page will do fine.
• We only take into consideration deals completed within the time period from January 1st 2022 – December 31st 2022 
• Deadline day is Monday 17th April. 
• Send your submissions to Jennifer.Ghoni@iongroup.com

People’s Choice awards:

• We invite you to submit a pitch of up to 150 words
• Dates: 1st January 2022 – 31st December 2022
• Your submission will be viewable on our Awards website
• Deadline day is Monday 27th March. 
• Voting will open on the 27th March and closes on the 3rd May 2023. 
• Winners will be announced on the awards night.

And don’t forget…if you make a pitch, you’re in with a chance of winning. The winners will announced at the Debtwire Direct Lending Awards 2023 in London on Thursday 18th May.