In this issue

This edition appears as the northern hemisphere marks its first anniversary of having lived with Covid-19. The Finance & Leasing Association, the UK trade body for the asset finance sector, held its annual (online) gathering in late April. We reproduce FLA chairman Richard Jones's speech from the conference by way of outlining the key challenges for lessors.

We also bring you three industry profiles. The first is with Carmen Ene, the CEO of 3stepIT, a Finnish private company that helps businesses sustainably manage their IT equipment. A partnership with BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions promises to widen the appeal of her business pitch beyond northern Europe. The second profile is with Willie Paterson, the CEO of Asset Alliance Group, a UK road haulage lessor. We find out how he’s disrupting his business model to stay ahead of the competition in the commercial vehicle sector. The last profile is with Sam Geneen, the non-executive chairman of Star Asset Finance. We look back on his experience across 45 years in the UK leasing sector.

Iran is a lesser-known leasing country, so we asked Mohammad Hadi Moghaei, secretary-general at the Iranian National Leasing Association, to offer his take on Iran’s experience with asset finance, from pre-revolution to Covid.

We also explore the monetising potential of subscription models with an article from Bernd Oppold, a partner at business consultancy KPMG, who considers the planning (and spending) needed before revenue streams can be realised. 

IDS's announced acquisition of White Clarke Group in April prompted me to have a chat with CEO David Hamilton about the synergies and metrics behind this eye-catching corporate move.