Emirates NBD and Mashreq Bank have made a strategic investment in NewBridge Fintech Solutions, a fintech firm and owner of LoanBook, an EMEA-focused, next-generation platform digitising the syndicated loan and private credit markets.
LoanBook offers a centralised marketplace for market participants to access global loan opportunities and automates end-to-end workflows, bringing much-needed efficiency and velocity to an industry still heavily reliant on manual processes.
“Our investment reflects Emirates NBD’s continued commitment to innovation, as we recognise the rapidly changing technological landscape and the impact it has on our industry. Our Corporate Venture Fund’s mission is to identify and back strategically relevant fintech and tech initiatives,” said Neeraj Makin, Group Head of Strategy, Analytics and Venture Capital at Emirates NBD Group.
“By investing in transformative platforms like LoanBook, we aim to streamline and accelerate the loan syndication process with a broader objective of driving technological advancements that enhance both our operations and the global loan market.”
With this investment, LoanBook gains significant resources, scale and industry support to deliver transformative solutions to the loan capital markets.
LoanBook aims to fundamentally innovate the $5.5 trillion annual loan issuance market across primary syndication, secondary trading and lifecycle management workflows between borrowers, lenders and administrative agents.
“Mashreq has always been at the forefront of digital transformation and we are committed to introducing innovative technologies that enhance the customer and employee experience,” said Amith Rajan, Head of Wholesale Digital Banking & CEO NeoVentures, Mashreq.
“Our investment in disruptive fintech’s such as NewBridge through NeoVentures is a testament to our commitment to harness the power of collaboration within the ecosystem.”
The company’s management and advisory board comprises senior ex-bankers and industry leaders who believe that loan markets are ready to embrace a digital future that will unlock greater liquidity, efficiency and ultimately attract a wider investor base, through continuous innovation across the credit ecosystem.
