Editor's letter

As Spring emerges in the Northern Hemisphere, we turn our attention to notable developments in the asset finance landscape. SocGen, the French banking institution, has opted to offload its equipment finance division SGEF after a lengthy and fruitful tenure, but ultimately not fruitful enough it would appear. The decision, driven by the new CEO and board, comes with a price tag of €1.1 billion. Groupe BPCE, a French banking rival and cooperative entity, has seized the opportunity to expand its product portfolio and market presence through the acquisition, positioning itself as a formidable player in the industry. 

In addition, we explore the environmental initiatives and credentials of the UK Labour Party, poised to potentially lead the next government according to recent polls. A conversation with Katrin Herrling, CEO of Funding Xchange, sheds light on the Smart Finance Hub — a platform facilitating connections between funders and brokers. Katherine Flannery, Head of Materials Handling at Investec, delves into five key megatrends influencing the sector's trajectory. Lastly, we preview our Sustainable Finance Summit 2024 in Paris on 16 May. 

Alejandro Gonzalez, editor