2026 Deals of the Year Awards

For the sovereign whose overall funding program across the year stood out. Judged on the full year’s activity – bonds, loans and liability management, in any currency – not a single transaction. Entrants should show strategy, execution across the curve, investor engagement and how the program met the year’s financing needs.

For the corporate whose overall funding program across the year stood out. Covers bond issuance, loan facilities and liability management together, in any currency. Entrants should show how the treasury team planned and executed the year’s funding, diversified sources or investors, and responded to market conditions.

For the bank or non-bank financial institution whose overall funding program across the year stood out. Covers senior, subordinated and capital issuance, covered bonds, securitized funding and loan facilities, in hard and local currency. Entrants should show funding strategy, execution across instruments and investor engagement.

For the sovereign with the strongest sustainable funding program across the year – green, social, sustainability, sustainability-linked or blue instruments. Entrants should show the scale and coherence of the program, framework quality, use-of-proceeds or target rigor, and reporting.

For the corporate with the strongest sustainable funding program across the year – green, social, sustainability, sustainability-linked or blue instruments, in bond or loan format. Entrants should show framework quality, ambition of targets or use of proceeds, investor reception and reporting.

For the issuer making its first-ever appearance in the bond or loan markets. Entrants should show the preparation behind the debut, how the credit was introduced to investors or lenders, pricing achieved against comparables, and what the transaction opened up for the issuer going forward.

For the single best sovereign bond issue of the year in any currency or market. Judged on timing, pricing relative to curve and comparables, size, order book quality and investor diversification.

For the single best investment-grade corporate bond issue of the year. Judged on pricing versus comparables, structure, size, order book composition and the deal’s significance to the issuer’s funding profile.

For the single best sub-investment-grade corporate bond issue of the year. Judged on pricing, structure and covenant package, investor reception and the issuer’s circumstances at the time of the deal.

For the single best investment-grade bond issue by a state-owned or state-linked entity. Judged on pricing versus the sovereign and comparables, structure, size and investor demand.

For the single best sub-investment-grade bond issue by a state-owned or state-linked entity. Judged on pricing, structure, investor reception and the credit’s standing at the time of the deal.

For the best sovereign tender, exchange, buyback or switch executed outside of a distressed restructuring. Entrants should show the objective – maturity extension, cost reduction, curve management – participation achieved and the measurable outcome.

For the best tender, exchange, buyback or switch by a state-owned or state-linked entity outside of a distressed restructuring. Entrants should show the objective, participation rate and measurable outcome for the issuer’s debt profile.

For the best corporate tender, exchange, buyback or refinancing exercise outside of a distressed restructuring. Entrants should show the objective, take-up achieved and the effect on maturity profile, cost of debt or covenant position.

For the best financing by a state, province, department, municipality or city, in bond or loan format and in any currency. Entrants should show the credit work required, investor or lender engagement, and the deal’s significance for subnational market access.

For the best syndicated loan facility of the year, excluding leveraged and acquisition financings. Judged on size, pricing, tenor, structure, syndication outcome and the breadth of the lending group.

For the best loan financing for a highly leveraged borrower, including sponsor-backed credits. Judged on structure, pricing, covenant package, syndication outcome and execution in the prevailing market.

For the best financing raised to fund an acquisition, in loan, bond or combined format, including bridge-to-bond structures. Entrants should show how the financing was structured around deal certainty, timing and the eventual take-out.

For the best restructuring of sovereign debt in a distressed or default situation. Entrants should show creditor engagement, the negotiation and legal strategy, participation achieved and the debt relief or sustainability outcome.

For the best restructuring of corporate debt in a distressed or default situation, whether in or out of court. Entrants should show the creditor negotiation, the structure agreed, participation achieved and the resulting position of the business.

For the best financing by a bank or non-bank financial institution – senior, subordinated, capital, covered, securitized or loan format. Covers commercial banks, development banks, insurers, fintech lenders, leasing companies and other non-bank lenders. Judged on structure, pricing and investor or lender reception.

For the best sovereign financing in its own domestic currency, whether issued domestically or internationally. Entrants should show the deal’s contribution to local curve development, investor base and pricing achieved.

For the best local currency financing by a state-owned or state-linked entity. Entrants should show pricing, investor base and the transaction’s significance for the domestic market.

For the best corporate financing in local currency, domestically issued or in international format. Entrants should show pricing, structure, investor base and why local currency was the right choice for the issuer.

For the best asset-backed or structured transaction, including securitizations, future flow deals, receivables and other collateralized structures. Entrants should show the structuring work, rating outcome, investor reception and why the structure was necessary.

For a financing that marked a step change in a company’s access to capital – a first international deal, first rated transaction, first benchmark size, or a move from bank debt to capital markets. Entrants should show what the issuer’s funding profile was before, what it is now, and what the deal unlocked. Not judged on company size.

For the best transaction using concessional, first-loss or guarantee capital to mobilize commercial money that would not otherwise have participated. Entrants should show the capital structure, the role of each layer, and the commercial capital brought in as a result.

For the transaction with the most genuinely novel structure, instrument or technique. Judged on originality and on whether the approach has been or could be replicated. Entrants should be specific about what had not been done before.

For financings executed where market access was not a given – a credit returning after a long absence, a market reopened, or an issuer clearing conditions that had kept it out. Entrants should show what stood in the way and how the deal overcame it.

For the best initial public offering by a Latin American or Caribbean issuer, on any exchange. Judged on pricing, book quality, allocation strategy, aftermarket performance and execution in the prevailing window.

For the best follow-on equity offering, including accelerated bookbuilds and block trades. Judged on pricing versus the reference, discount achieved, book quality and market impact.

For the best private equity transaction – buyout, growth investment, take-private or exit – involving a Latin American or Caribbean asset. Entrants should show the investment thesis, deal structure and value created or realized.

For the best venture or early-stage equity round involving a Latin American or Caribbean company. Entrants should show the round structure, investor syndicate and what the capital enabled.

For the best privately placed or directly negotiated credit transaction – unitranche, mezzanine, NAV lending, structured or special-situations financing. Entrants should show the structure, the borrower’s alternatives and why private capital was the right solution.

For the best merger or acquisition involving parties in different countries, with a Latin American or Caribbean buyer or target. Judged on strategic rationale, deal structure, valuation, financing and execution across jurisdictions.

For the best merger or acquisition between parties in the same Latin American or Caribbean country. Judged on strategic rationale, structure, valuation, financing and execution.

For the best single sovereign green, social, sustainability, sustainability-linked or blue transaction. Entrants should show framework quality, use-of-proceeds or KPI rigor, pricing benefit if any, and investor reception.

For the best single corporate green, social, sustainability, sustainability-linked or blue transaction, in bond or loan format. Entrants should show framework quality, ambition of targets or use of proceeds, and investor or lender reception.

For the firm with the strongest overall showing in Argentine capital markets, lending, M&A and restructuring work across the year. Entrants should show deal volume, complexity, market share and notable mandates.

For the firm with the strongest overall showing in Brazilian capital markets, lending, M&A and restructuring work across the year. Entrants should show deal volume, complexity, market share and notable mandates.

For the firm with the strongest overall showing in Chilean capital markets, lending, M&A and restructuring work across the year. Entrants should show deal volume, complexity, market share and notable mandates.

For the firm with the strongest overall showing in Colombian capital markets, lending, M&A and restructuring work across the year. Entrants should show deal volume, complexity, market share and notable mandates.

For the firm with the strongest overall showing in Peruvian capital markets, lending, M&A and restructuring work across the year. Entrants should show deal volume, complexity, market share and notable mandates.

For the firm with the strongest overall showing in Mexican capital markets, lending, M&A and restructuring work across the year. Entrants should show deal volume, complexity, market share and notable mandates.

For the firm with the strongest overall showing across Caribbean markets in capital markets, lending, M&A and restructuring work. Entrants should show jurisdictional coverage, deal volume, complexity and notable mandates.

For the firm with the strongest overall showing across Central American markets in capital markets, lending, M&A and restructuring work. Entrants should show jurisdictional coverage, deal volume, complexity and notable mandates.

For the firm with the strongest regional practice across multiple Latin American and Caribbean jurisdictions. Entrants should show breadth of coverage, cross-border capability, deal volume and the most significant mandates of the year.

For the firm doing the most significant legal work on green, social, sustainability, sustainability-linked, blue and blended finance transactions. Entrants should show framework and structuring work, deal volume and contribution to market standards.

For the bank with the strongest overall franchise in Argentina across debt, equity, loans and advisory. Entrants should show deal volume, league table position, local coverage and the most significant mandates of the year.

For the bank with the strongest overall franchise in Brazil across debt, equity, loans and advisory. Entrants should show deal volume, league table position, local coverage and the most significant mandates of the year.

For the bank with the strongest overall franchise in Chile across debt, equity, loans and advisory. Entrants should show deal volume, league table position, local coverage and the most significant mandates of the year.

For the bank with the strongest overall franchise in Colombia across debt, equity, loans and advisory. Entrants should show deal volume, league table position, local coverage and the most significant mandates of the year.

For the bank with the strongest overall franchise in Peru across debt, equity, loans and advisory. Entrants should show deal volume, league table position, local coverage and the most significant mandates of the year.

For the bank with the strongest overall franchise in Mexico across debt, equity, loans and advisory. Entrants should show deal volume, league table position, local coverage and the most significant mandates of the year.

For the bank with the strongest overall franchise across Caribbean markets in debt, equity, loans and advisory. Entrants should show jurisdictional coverage, deal volume and the most significant mandates of the year.

For the bank with the strongest overall franchise across Central American markets in debt, equity, loans and advisory. Entrants should show jurisdictional coverage, deal volume and the most significant mandates of the year.

For the bank with the strongest regional franchise across Latin America and the Caribbean in debt, equity, loans and advisory. Entrants should show breadth of coverage, league table position, cross-border capability and the year’s most significant mandates.

For the bank with the strongest regional debt capital markets franchise across sovereign, quasi-sovereign, corporate and financial institution issuance, in hard and local currency. Entrants should show league table position, deal volume and execution record.

For the bank or advisory firm with the strongest regional mergers and acquisitions franchise. Entrants should show deal volume, transaction value, cross-border capability and the year’s most significant mandates.

For the bank with the strongest regional equity capital markets franchise across IPOs, follow-ons, block trades and equity-linked issuance. Entrants should show league table position, deal volume and aftermarket record.

For the bank with the strongest regional loan franchise across syndicated, leveraged, acquisition and structured lending. Entrants should show league table position, deal volume, underwriting commitment and distribution record.