NACFB Commercial Lender Awards 2025 opens for submissions
The NACFB Commercial Lender Awards 2025 – aimed at recognising and honouring lending excellence and the unwavering support of the industry’s service providers – is now officially open for entries.
New award categories
This year, NACFB Patron lenders and Partner suppliers can make submissions across 22 categories, including three new awards that reflect the evolving priorities of the commercial finance sector:
Intermediary Advocate of the Year honours NACFB Patron lenders and Partner suppliers that have gone above and beyond in championing the role of commercial finance brokers. This award recognises those who collaborate closely with brokers to deliver tailored solutions, support the NACFB’s mission to uphold standards of excellence, and promote the value of intermediary-led relationships.
Sustainability Champion of the Year celebrates lenders and suppliers who have shown outstanding leadership in advancing sustainability within commercial finance. This award recognises the firms backing green initiatives, integrating eco-friendly practices internally, and working closely with brokers to deliver funding solutions that have a meaningful positive environmental impact.
Unsung Hero of the Year shines a spotlight on the individuals behind the scenes who quietly keep things moving. Whether working in operations, compliance, client support, marketing, or any other supporting function, these individuals exemplify dedication, consistency and excellence.
The full list of categories for the NACFB Commercial Lender Awards 2025 is:
Asset Finance Lender of the Year
BDM Team of the Year
Bridging Lender of the Year
Business Bank of the Year
Buy-to-Let Lender of the Year
Commercial Mortgage Lender of the Year
Community Lender of the Year
Development Finance Lender of the Year
Emerging Lender of the Year
Industry Leader of the Year
Industry Supplier of the Year
Intermediary Advocate of the Year
Invoice Finance Lender of the Year
Marketing Team of the Year
Pioneers of the Year
Rising Star of the Year
Service Excellence Award
Specialist Lender of the Year
Sustainability Champion of the Year
Underwriting Team of the Year
Unsecured Lender of the Year
Unsung Hero of the Year
All participating Patrons will be entered automatically for the coveted NACFB Commercial Lender of the Year award.
Full details of each category can be seen here
The awards are completely free to enter and are open to NACFB Patron lenders and Partner suppliers only. The submission deadline is 5pm on Friday 5th September 2025.
Organising the event, Becky McGarrity, said: “We encourage firms to submit entries in as many categories as they feel are relevant. Acknowledging the time and effort required to prepare submissions, we’ve intentionally limited each one to a maximum of 300 words.”
To help entrants put their best foot forward, the NACFB has compiled a top ten list of tips for NACFB Patron lenders and Partner suppliers seeking to make a stellar submission in each award category.
The judging process
This year, a carefully selected panel of industry experts will review all submissions to determine a shortlist in each award category. Every entry will be reviewed fairly and individually, with the shortlist drawn on merit. In the interest of fairness and transparency, categories that do not award an individual will be anonymised for judges’ selection. The judging panel will be revealed in the coming weeks.
The shortlist will be revealed in mid-October at which time NACFB Member brokers will be invited to cast votes for the Patrons and Partners of their choice in each category. The judging panel’s scores will be combined with the Members’ votes to determine the winner and highly commended in each category.
Awards ceremony and tickets
The winners will be revealed at a glamorous ceremony which returns to the Westminster Park Plaza, London on Thursday 27th November 2025.
Early bird tickets are available to NACFB Patron lenders and Partner suppliers only until 5pm on Friday 31st October 2025 and are priced at £405 +VAT per person. Tables of ten are also available for purchase.
After the early bird deadline, tickets for Patrons and Partners will increase to £445 +VAT per person. Depending on availability, a limited number of tickets will also be made available to non-NACFB Patrons and Partners, priced at £499 +VAT.
All tickets include a welcome drink on arrival, a three-course meal, half a bottle of wine per person and entertainment. Full details of the celebration, including this year’s host, will be revealed soon.
Sponsorship
A limited number of sponsorship opportunities remain and those interested are asked to contact the events team for more information via events@nacfb.org