Features

Stay up to date with the latest features and issues from the global leasing industry:

Why it’s time for asset finance to break free

By David Woodroffe, Director of Product Management and Pre-sales, and Shereen Walia, Senior Pre-sales Solution Consultant, Auto and Equipment Finance, FIS Global – Ambit Asset Finance

The future is flexible. Standing still has never been an option for a thriving asset finance business. But in an age of rapid technological change, there is more reason than ever to move with the times. Whether you provide auto or equipment finance, your customers’ behaviour is evolving fast. And at the heart of their requirements is a need for flexibility.

Pay-per-use: The challenges for consumption-based leasing in a tech-driven world

By Kameliya Slavchova and Denis Georgiev, iMX Application and Business Experts, CODIX

The advancement of technology in recent years has opened the door to many alternative business models which were previously thought impractical or even impossible. For instance, innovation has changed the automotive industry, financial trading and banking, engineering, mechanics, architecture, medical equipment, sports, etc. Businesses are keen on embracing innovation so as to stay ahead of the curve, and respectively people’s expectations change as more and more aspects of their lives become digitalised and automated. Not surprisingly, we continue to witness the emergence and success of a variety of creative business ideas.

Leasing: The best way for businesses to go green?

By Miranda Stokkingreef, CEO, ABN AMRO Asset Based Finance

Almost two-thirds of executives believe sustainability is key to being competitive in today’s market, according to a study by business school IMD. It is good for the environment – and consumers increasingly want to buy from eco-conscious businesses. As a result, sustainability is becoming an intrinsic part of leasing solutions. Companies are increasingly looking at how this type of funding can support them in making the sustainability shift – whether that be supporting clients’ develop-and-maintain circular business models or contributing to the reduction of C02 emissions.

Leasing software forecast: More clouds, with a strong chance of SaaS

By Carla Young Harrington, Susan Carol Creative

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offerings and cloud hosting are strong currents continuing to shape equipment leasing and asset finance software developments as we edge closer to the year 2020. Recent enhancements and those planned in the coming year also reflect important financial services trends, technology shifts and new regulatory requirements underway.

Transfer pricing – OECD developments and the future of governance for lessors

By Neil Casey, KPMG in Ireland

The last several decades have seen significant globalisation of businesses and the wider economy generally. World-wide intra-group trade has grown exponentially within this environment and transfer pricing rules had struggled to keep pace.

The birth and growth of the aircraft leasing business

By Robert F. Agnew, President & CEO, Morten Beyer & Agnew, US

It is my great fortune to have spent the last 45 years in aviation. First, I served in KC-135s with the USAF, then with two great airlines, and finally running an aviation appraisal and advisory firm, as well as chairman of the board of directors for a publicly traded airline.

Time and tide wait for no one

By Mark Binks, Bynx

To say that the automotive leasing industry is going through a period of intense change and facing unprecedented challenges is an understatement. The interest in mobility services and consumers’ waning desire for vehicle ‘ownership’ is shaking up the whole concept of vehicle leasing, presenting both an opportunity and a threat to leasing and finance companies everywhere.

The impact of digital technology on the leasing industry

By Najeeb Ghauri, Netsol Technologies, Inc, US

In recent years, the vast majority of financial service providers have taken significant steps towards de-risking their lending environment. With traditional lenders less likely to offer finance in the face of strict regulatory requirements, organisations as well as individuals at every scale have had to turn towards alternative financing models to enable the continued growth and optimisation of their operations. Asset finance and leasing have quickly come to the fore as the most viable option for funding new equipment, vehicles and digital initiatives.

Leasing in the Middle East and Africa

By Hans Geijsen, Invigors EMEA LLP

While leasing can trace its origins to the Middle East, in Mesopotamia and Persia, it is nonetheless very difficult to perceive strong and significant activity in equipment leasing in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This is despite the well-established concept of Ijarah governing leasing contracts, with its foundation in Shari’a law.

How asset finance can help grow your business

By Wesley Harfield, Investec Asset Finance

The cash flow implications of investing in new equipment or machinery can be daunting for any business and, in particular, for SMEs. Whether you are a caterer whose ovens and refrigerators are on their last legs, or a delivery company whose fleet of vans simply cannot keep pace with growing demand, ensuring that you have the right tools for the job is critical to your success.

What’s next for leasing?

By Andrew Denton, Alfa

Andrew Denton, CEO of Alfa, discusses with various Alfa specialists what might be around the corner for asset finance and leasing.

EETCs: A viable financing option for US and non-US airlines alike?

By Mary O'Neill, Shari McField and Wanda Ebanks, Maples and Calder

In simple terms, enhanced equipment trust certificates (EETCs) are corporate debt securities, typically issued by airlines. EETCs are secured on the aircraft operated by the airlines, and are structured through special purpose companies (SPVs) created specifically to own the aircraft and “enhanced” by elements such as debt tranching, availability of liquidity facilities and over-collateralisation.

The possible impact of Brexit on the leasing industry

By Lindsay J. Town, IAA-Advisory

Lindsay J. Town, Chairman and Chief Executive of IAA-Advisory looks at how the changes from Brexit that impact the UK and wider EU economies will inevitably have an impact on the leasing industry’s performance and prospects.

Current activity and future thoughts on UK aircraft finance

By Colin Sach, Sach Avro Limited

Colin Sach of Sach Avro Limited discusses the upheavals faced by the UK aviation market over the last 18 months or so – the impact of terrorism, the Brexit vote and the loss of further airlines to name but three.

Aircraft leasing in Germany

By Dirk Schmalenbach and Johannes Vogel, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP

Dirk Schmalenbach and Johannes Vogel from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP give a brief overview of recent economic and legal developments affecting the commercial aircraft leasing market in Germany.

Intermodal container leasing

By Bert van Leeuwen, DVB Bank S.E.

Bert van Leeuwen from DVB Bank S.E. looks at the rapid maturity of the container leasing industry over the past years, even though container boxes probably are amongst the least “glamorous” assets in the world of equipment leasing.

Brexit and equipment leasing

By Sarah Dyke and Alexander Hewitt, Dentons

Sarah Dyke, (Partner, Dentons) and Alexander Hewitt (Professional Support Lawyer, Dentons) examine key potential impacts of Brexit on equipment leasing. Specifically, this article looks at Brexit's potential effects on: English leasing law; current leasing transactions; domestic regulatory burdens on UK lessors; governing law and jurisdiction clauses in cross-border equipment leases; financial regulatory barriers to leasing from the UK into EU states; and VAT or its replacement and other taxes and duties.

A new set of challenges

By Bill Stephenson, DLL

Bill Stephenson, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board at DLL looks back over the past year and the increasing number of challenges faced by the global leasing industry. Some years come and go without much fanfare. They present the usual challenges which are dealt with and quickly forgotten, their details replaced in our memories with more recent events. For those of us in the leasing industry, this is not one of those years.

Seizing the next digital opportunity

By Carmen Ene and Nick Gallop, 3 Step IT

Carmen Ene and Nick Gallop from 3 Step IT discuss how digitisation is widespread, and the next step is digitalisation. It offers the opportunity to re-engineer business processes and create competitive advantage. But opportunity is not always realised: skills are in scarce supply and the expectations for a digitalisation project are not always realistic. What should we hope for? Where should we focus? How can we maximise the chances of success?