Thought leaders

Asset finance facing emerging economic and compliance challenges

May 09, 2024: The pace of change in the asset finance sector is accelerating with economic challenges, new regulation, evolving technology, and players constantly changing in the market. Everyone in the asset finance sector needs to be ready to reorganise and ad...

AFC keynote address from the Consumer Redress Association: learning about good behaviour from a claims management company (CMC)

Apr 29, 2024: Asset Finance Connect’s (AFC) David Betteley will interview Simon Evans, CEO of Consumer Redress Association at the AFC UK Conference which takes place at etc.venues, County Hall in London on the 6th June 2024. ...

Digitising communication channels for a collaborative broker-lender journey

Apr 23, 2024: In our latest Leader’s Interview, Michael Common, co-founder and CEO of Nivo, shares his thoughts with Asset Finance Connect on the opportunities for further digitisation in the asset finance industry, the role of artificial intelligence (AI), and ...

Last chance to apply for the AFC Leaders Summit on Tuesday in Brussels to see our Keynote address from director general of Leaseurope, Richard Knubben

Apr 11, 2024: A flood of cheap Chinese BEVs may look attractive to a region intent on reducing its carbon footprint to zero by 2050. But now the EU is faced with a deluge of auto imports, Ursula Von Leyen president of the European Commission, instead announced l...

Paul Goodman steps down as chair of the NACFB

Apr 10, 2024: The National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB) has announced the resignation of Paul Goodman as chair and director, after nearly 14 years of service, including a decade as chair. There is no doubt he has made a considerable contribu...

Martin McTague, National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses to keynote UK Asset Finance Connect Conference in June

Apr 09, 2024: Last December the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) issued a super-complaint to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) highlighting the harsh lending practices of banks that demand excessive personal guarantees (PGs) for business loans. Asset Fin...

Alfa CTO to join opening panel at AFC Leaders’ Summit as lenders debate Deloitte’s keynote sustainability call-to-action

Apr 04, 2024: Finance companies that will dominate the emerging electric-centric landscape will be those who prepare their sustainable business models now. Laggards will allow policy uncertainties and short-term margin concerns to delay vital strategy planning a...

AFC Leaders’ Summit keynote message: don’t let uncertainty delay your business’s preparation for a post-ICE world

Apr 02, 2024: Benedikt Middendorf, senior director at Deloitte and opening keynote at the AFC Leaders’ Summit in Europe will tell Europe’s auto and equipment finance leaders that the finance companies which will dominate the emerging electric-centric landscape w...

AFC Summer Awards 2024: How to write a compelling nomination

Apr 02, 2024: Asset Finance Connect receives over 150 nominations per year for its annual summer awards – this makes competition fierce. Well written, well considered nominations stand more chance of winning because they tell the judges what they need to know, w...

Ian Robertson, partner, Invigors presents at AFC Leaders’ Summit Europe: “how to create business opportunities from greenhouse gas reporting”

Mar 25, 2024: Ian Robertson, partner at Invigors will lead a discussion at the AFC Leaders’ Summit Europe, in Brussels on April 16th, on how the asset finance industry can turn environmental reporting requirements on greenhouses gases (GHG) into business opportu...

Business adoption of BEVs has been a great success…now Government needs to focus on the used market

Mar 22, 2024: John Phillipou, SME Lending Managing Director at Paragon Bank discusses how, after the successful business adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), the Government must now turn its attention to the used market, introducing tax incentives and m...

Bill Stephenson, Global CEO of PEAC Solutions keynote: “Why banks are now reconsidering their investment in asset finance”

Mar 19, 2024: Bill Stephenson, Global CEO of PEAC Solutions, will deliver the closing keynote at the Asset Finance Connect Leaders’ Summit Europe, that will be held in Brussels on April 16, 2024. Stephenson will share his view that the asset finance divisions o...

AFC Leaders Summit Europe: Mike Janse, COO and a.i. CEO, DLL joins opening panel

Mar 14, 2024: Mike Janse will join the opening panel at the inaugural AFC Leaders’ Summit Europe in an agenda which will focus on the commercial and regulatory landscape for auto and equipment finance in the EU in the lead-up to the EU elections in June. The ev...

AFC Leaders Summit Europe: Who pays? Malus and bonus for the auto finance industry in driving the transition from ICE to BEV

Mar 11, 2024: Brit Schönenberger to interview John Saffrett deputy CEO of Ayvens at the AFC Leaders' Summit Europe in April. Brit Schönenberger founder of Schönenberger Advisory Services and former country head, Switzerland for Leaseplan will interview John Saf...

Spring Budget 2024: With an election on the horizon, what can we expect to see?

Feb 28, 2024: With the dust having barely settled on last year’s Autumn Statement, Chief Executive of Time Finance, Ed Rimmer, shares his thoughts on the last Spring Budget before the next general election and why businesses should be front and centre for the Ch...

A collaborative and technology-driven vision for the future of the asset finance broker-lender channel

Feb 27, 2024: In our latest Leader's Interview, Nathan Mollett, Head of Asset Finance at United Trust Bank (UTB) spoke to Asset Finance Connect about his surprisingly optimistic outlook for the asset finance industry as we enter 2024; the role of technology at U...

The impact of Brexit on the UK’s SME community

Feb 19, 2024: John Phillipou, Managing Director of Paragon Bank’s SME Lending Division shares his thoughts on how SME businesses in the UK have adapted since Brexit. What do we remember about 2020? Most of us immediately think of the country going into lockdow...

Driving the electrification of the auto industry

Feb 08, 2024: The transition to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) comes at a time when there are lots of moving parts in the automotive industry – agency, regulatory changes (including consumer duty), and new mobility products such as subscription and new rental ...

Compass plan growth: more brokers managed personally not through portals

Jan 29, 2024: In our latest Leader's Interview, Mark Nelson, Director at Compass Business Finance spoke to Asset Finance Connect about Compass’ plans for growth in 2024 and beyond with their three-way hybrid lender-broker model; their invaluable human relationsh...

Asset finance: 2024’s key challenges and opportunities

Jan 23, 2024: Steve Taplin, Managing Director at Lendscape discusses the challenges and opportunities facing the UK asset finance industry as we enter 2024, from a tougher economic climate, increased risk and high energy costs to key growth opportunities from th...

Introducing the new FLA Chair - John Phillipou

Jan 19, 2024: During the recent Asset Finance Connect (AFC) Autumn 2023 Conference, AFC head of content, David Betteley, sat down with the new Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) Chair, John Phillipou, to discuss the challenges the asset finance industry fac...

Organising the asset finance industry to meet emerging economic and compliance challenges

Nov 23, 2023: Assessment of the economic and regulatory outlook for asset finance lenders from a leading panel of lenders from challenger banks and independents. Role of technology to mitigate increasing compliance costs and to build an efficient digital c...

Economy, regulation, technology and sustainability: Issues affecting confidence in the asset finance industry

Nov 21, 2023: The focus of the Asset Finance Connect Autumn 2023 Conference is defined by primary research carried out by Asset Finance Connect, in association with FIS, into understanding levels of confidence in the asset finance industry over the coming months...

Record attendance expected at Autumn Asset Finance Connect Conference

Nov 17, 2023: Asset Finance Connect’s conference on November 29th in London is set to break attendance records with registrations for the event set to exceed 500 for the first time. “We are delighted to see such a warm response to our ongoing series of conferen...

Vendor Partnership, JV or captive? How regulation, sustainability and technology are driving change in the OEM-Lender relationship

Nov 10, 2023: Panel discussion between finance providers and OEMS involved in vendor partnerships, joint venture and captive finance operations on how regulation, the growing importance of sustainability, and technology-driven change is affecting the choice betw...

Professor Karen Elliott joins AFC conference auto finance panel to consider the use of technology to mitigate costs of Consumer Duty

Oct 30, 2023: Professor Karen Elliott, a member of Innovate Finance’s Fintech Powerlist, is joining Asset Finance Connect’s panel of auto finance professionals at the AFC Conference in London on 29th November. The session, which will be moderated by David Bette...

NEXT GEN KEYNOTE: Marcella Merli, Head of CA Auto Bank, Italy to talk about diversity and inclusion at AFC Conference

Oct 25, 2023: Marcella Merli, one of the world’s leading auto finance thought leaders will be the keynote speaker, presenting to the Leasing Foundation’s next gen community at the Asset Finance Connect (AFC) conference in London. Merli worked alongside Giacomo ...

KEYNOTE: New chair of FLA to address delegates at the AFC Conference on November 29th in London

Oct 20, 2023: John Phillipou, managing director of SME lending at Paragon Bank and the new chair of the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) will be interviewed on-stage by David Betteley, head of content and a former chair of the FLA at the Asset Finance Confe...

KEYNOTE: Sustainability and the next UK Government - what auto and equipment finance companies need to know about Labour and Tory policies towards green

Oct 19, 2023: Sustainability is a key differentiator for the two political parties as they start to prepare for the UK general election agenda expected either May or November 2024. The decisions being made for the election may impact the pace of transition to gr...

Will Chinese electric car manufacturers transform the UK BEV market?

Sep 28, 2023: Analysis from David Betteley, Asset Finance Connect head of content. We have just published the summary and analysis of the keynote auto finance interview with GWM ORA UK’s Managing Director Toby Marshall, which took place at our June conference. ...

ESG Unconference Workshop Summary: What do we need to do to enable the transition from dirty to green assets?

May 30, 2023: Following the Asset Finance Connect ESG senior leadership interview with Odile de Saivre, CEO of Societe Generale Equipment Finance, and Sacha Balachandran, head of equipment finance at HSBC, sustainability representatives from the equipment financ...

How to raise funds for a finance portfolio

May 18, 2023: Conclusion from Stephen Bassett, head of the Asset Finance Connect UK asset finance community. We have just published the summary and analysis of the Asset Finance Connect conference session focusing on how to raise funds for a finance portfolio, ...

Managing the broker-funder relationship

May 02, 2023: We have just published the summary and analysis of the Asset Finance Connect conference session discussing the asset finance broker-funder relationship, which took place at our December conference. You can read the conference review here. Analysis...

Credit Risk Apathy Could Squash Your Chances of Fleet Financing

Mar 29, 2023: When you see a construction crew paving a road, laying cement onto a highway, or demolishing a building, it’s not just a one-man job. It requires multiple people and heavy-duty equipment like bulldozers, cranes, pavers, excavators and tractors. And...

Who will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award 2023 at the Asset Finance Connect Summer Awards?

Mar 23, 2023: Recognising a lifelong commitment and contribution to the industry, the Lifetime Achievement Award 2023, sponsored by Alfa, will honour an individual who has had a career working in the auto or equipment finance industry and has made a lasting cont...

Place your nominations for the AFC Lifetime Achievement Award

Mar 09, 2023: Perhaps one of the most emotional and heartfelt awards at Asset Finance Connect’s Summer Awards is the Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Alfa, recognising the recipient’s lifelong commitment and contribution to the industry. At the 2022 Sum...

Carlo Van Kemenade, CEO, DLL to be interviewed live on 15th March 2023

Mar 01, 2023: Asset Finance Connect have announced the next guest in their digital series of webcastplus and unconferences which they are running throughout 2023 in association with Leaseurope and Eurofinas. Carlo Van Kemenade, CEO, DLL will be interviewed live...

Asset Finance Connect, Eurofinas and Leaseurope announce a monthly series of jointly run digital events for 2023

Feb 07, 2023: Leaseurope, Eurofinas and Asset Finance Connect will be running a series of digital events for 2023 which will focus on celebrating innovation and excellence in the auto and equipment finance industry throughout Europe. "We are looking forward to ...

Net Zero Review: UK could do more to reap economic benefits of green growth

Jan 23, 2023: Former Energy Minister Chris Skidmore has published his Net Zero Review, outlining the opportunities offered by net zero. The UK’s leadership on tackling climate change has delivered real change at home and led to a global transformation – but more...

Asset finance: reflecting on 2022 and looking ahead to 2023

Dec 22, 2022: Despite a challenging outlook for 2023, there are many reasons for optimism from lenders. The latest figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that from January to October 2022, new business was 5% higher than in the sam...

COP27 Finance Day and its impact on the path to net zero

Nov 14, 2022: By Ross Schloeffel, Energy & Infrastructure partner, and Jessica Hargreaves, Energy & Infrastructure managing associate, Linklaters LLP. Ross Schloeffel, Energy & Infrastructure partner, and Jessica Hargreaves, Energy & Infrastruct...

FCA commits to more agile and efficient regulatory processes

Oct 11, 2022: Last week, Emily Sheppard, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), made a speech at the CISI/Financial Planning Conference 2022, where she committed to improving the agility and efficiency of regula...

Servitization: Right place, right time

Oct 11, 2022: After retiring from the asset finance industry after over 40 years, most recently as the Managing Director of JCB Finance, and as a key ambassador for servitization and advanced services in the finance industry, Paul Jennings has been appointed a V...

Platinum Sponsor FIS leads a panel of experts to debate readiness of auto OEMs to grow profits from services

Oct 03, 2022: David Woodroffe, FIS Senior Vice President, auto and asset finance will join a line-up of auto finance experts to assess the readiness of auto OEMS as they seek to build profitability from the provision of non-financial services through agency, lev...

Capitas Finance Founder raises £13,000 for Wings for Life with Swiss Epic challenge

Sep 20, 2022: The founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Capitas Finance, a specialist in financing energy solutions, has completed a gruelling five-day mountain bike cross-country endurance stage race through the Alps, smashing his fundraising target for spina...

Alice Altemaire, CEO Mobilize Financial Services UK to be Asset Finance Connect Conference auto keynote

Sep 16, 2022: Asset Finance Connect (AFC) is delighted to announce that this year’s opening auto finance keynote address for its November 3rd event will be delivered by Alice Altemaire, CEO of Mobilize Financial Services UK. Alice Altemaire will focus on sustai...

Richard Jones leaves Lloyds Banking Group to join Motonovo

Sep 14, 2022: In a surprise move for the auto finance industry, it has been announced that Managing Director Richard Jones will be leaving Lloyds Banking Group to join Motonovo. He will be replaced by Nick Williams who is currently Group Transformation Officer a...

Approaching the Arena anniversary: fixing the gap in UK asset finance fraud data

Sep 08, 2022: Asset Finance Connect to host a panel discussion with Nick Leader, CEO of Acquis Data Services, live online. In an exclusive Asset Finance Connect panel discussion webcast on 20 September, Nick Leader, CEO of Acquis Data Services will be joined by...

Automotive and mobility industry faces skills shortage

Aug 04, 2022: An acute skills shortage across the automotive and mobility industry is leaving businesses ill-equipped to take advantage of technological advances in electrification and digitalisation and leading to spiralling wage inflation as competition for ta...

CBC Resourcing Solutions celebrates 30 year anniversary

Jul 20, 2022: One of the asset finance sector’s longest established recruitment consultancies is gearing up to celebrate 30 years in business on 20 July. CBC Resourcing Solutions made its debut, initially as CBC Associates, in July 1992, and its directors, Graem...