From enquiry to funding.
A Lombard loan is arranged in five disciplined stages — from a confidential first enquiry to funded capital and stewardship. A senior principal is accountable at every stage; junior intermediaries are not used.
The path from a first message to funded capital is short, but it is deliberate. Each stage exists to make the transaction disciplined — the right loan-to-value, the right recourse, clean custody, and documentation that holds. Nothing is rushed at the expense of the structure, and nothing is left to an intermediary.
The five stages
Confidential Enquiry
The broad shape of the position and the liquidity requirement, sent through a secure channel. Read and answered by a senior principal — typically within one business day.
Indicative Terms
An outline loan-to-value, pricing basis, recourse profile, and tenor — typically within one to two business days. A starting point for refinement, not a rate card.
Documentation
Terms formalised under institutional loan and security documentation, with the borrower represented by counsel of their own choosing.
Custody & Pledge
The securities pledged to a qualified custodian under bankruptcy-remote arrangements. Beneficial ownership stays with the borrower throughout.
Funding & Stewardship
Capital funded against the agreed timeline, with a single named principal accountable for the facility for its life, through to repayment and release.
What happens at each stage.
I · Confidential Enquiry
A Lombard loan begins with a conversation, not an application form. The firm is engaged by introduction or by direct, confidential enquiry: the listing market, the broad shape of the position, and the liquidity requirement, sent through a secure channel. A senior principal — not an intermediary — reads every enquiry and replies personally. Material non-public information is neither requested nor required at this stage; indicative terms can be established from publicly available details about the holding. There is no obligation and no cost to enquire.
II · Indicative Terms — one to two business days
Within one to two business days of an enquiry, the firm issues indicative terms: an outline loan-to-value, an indicative pricing basis (a reference rate in the loan currency plus a spread), a recourse profile, and a tenor. This is a starting point for refinement, not a published rate card — every facility is calibrated to the specific holdings, the market, and the holder. The indicative term sheet is provided in confidence and carries no commitment on either side until documentation is signed.
III · Documentation
Once the shape of the facility is agreed, terms are formalised under institutional loan and security documentation. The borrower is represented by counsel of their own choosing; the firm coordinates the drafting, but the borrower’s advisers review and negotiate it. Regulatory, tax, and disclosure considerations — including any beneficial-ownership notification required in the relevant market — are addressed in parallel. A clean structure matters more than a fast one.
IV · Custody & Pledge
The pledged securities are transferred to a qualified custodian and held under bankruptcy-remote arrangements. The pledge gives the lender security over the collateral; it is not a sale. Beneficial ownership remains with the borrower throughout, and dividend and voting rights are dealt with as the facility is structured. Legal title and settlement follow the conventions of the relevant market.
V · Funding & Stewardship
With documentation executed and the pledge in place, capital is funded against the agreed timeline. The relationship does not end at drawdown. A single named principal remains accountable for the facility for its life — with periodic stewardship reviews, monitoring of the collateral and any margin parameters, and a direct line for corporate actions, renewals, or repayment. When the loan is repaid, the pledge is released and the position is returned unencumbered.
Indicative timelines.
| Confidential enquiry | Read and acknowledged by a senior principal, typically within one business day. |
|---|---|
| Indicative terms | Typically 1–2 business days from a complete enquiry. |
| Documentation | Typically 1–3 weeks, depending on complexity and the pace of counsel. |
| Custody & pledge | Arranged in parallel with documentation, ahead of funding. |
| Funding | Against an agreed timeline once documentation is executed and the pledge is in place. |
| Tenor | Typically 12–36 months, renewable by agreement. |
| Stewardship | For the life of the facility — periodic reviews, with one named principal accountable. |
Timelines are indicative and depend on the position, the market, and the readiness of the borrower’s advisers. They describe how transactions are commonly arranged, not a commitment applicable to any particular facility.
Begin at Stage One with a confidential enquiry.
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