Lending

UK investment trusts returned over £4 billion in buybacks in the first half of 2026 alone. Yet most boards aren’t structuring their credit facilities around that use case. Ross Dow, Director of Debt Finance at OakNorth, argues the gap isn’t about appetite, it’s about a conversation that hasn’t been had explicitly.

From the rise of NAV finance and hybrid facilities to growing opportunities in the lower mid-market, Ross Dow shares the five developments shaping today’s fund finance market.

Mixed-use” can describe a £48m London development or a £6.5m high-street acquisition — deals with almost nothing in common. OakNorth’s Hemesh Patel on why the label tells you next to nothing about whether a deal is fundable, and what underwriters actually assess in 2026.

Early years education more often than not doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Not from policymakers, not from lenders, and not from the media. And yet the numbers speak for themselves: fewer than one in three local authorities in the UK currently have enough childcare places for children under two, and the DfE estimates the sector needs around 70,000 new places just to meet current demand.

OakNorth’s Ian Fairclough on how AI is reshaping lending decisions for software and technology businesses – and what it means for sponsors and founders raising debt.

OakNorth’s Women in Dealmaking panel on what really matters when choosing a lender – sector knowledge, speed, and access to the decision-maker. Insights from a CFO, debt advisor, PE investor and lawyer.