The European motor finance industry came together in Munich last night (on 15 October) for the GlobalData Automotive Europe Awards 2025, an evening recognising the innovation, insight, and adaptability shaping the sector’s future.

The event, held at the NH München Ost Conference Center, concluded a day of panel discussions and debates covering digital transformation, sustainability, and regulatory change across the motor finance ecosystem.

Speakers and attendees represented a cross-section of the industry, including NETSOL, KPMG, Close Brothers Motor Finance, Basikon, Daimler Truck Financial Services, McKinsey & Co, AutoTrader, EY-Parthenon, VTXRM, UFOFleet, Q Mission, Mobile.de GmbH, BNP Paribas, and Santander Consumer Finance. The discussions preceding the awards highlighted a shared focus on innovation and customer-centric growth in an environment of continued market uncertainty.

Navigating complexity through data

The first award of the evening, Advisory Firm of the Year, went to autobiz, recognised for its expertise in one of the industry’s most complex areas: electric vehicle (EV) residual value forecasting. With market volatility driven by fluctuating regulations, uneven adoption, and price shifts across Europe, autobiz stood out for the precision and scale of its data-driven approach. Its valuation tools, used by OEMs, banks, and leasing companies across 22 countries, assess more than 30 million vehicles annually, supporting more confident decision-making at a time when accuracy is at a premium.

Marketing with impact

Launching new products in a competitive sector demands both clarity and creativity, and Alfa demonstrated both. The company secured Best Marketing Campaign of the Year for the launch of Alfa Systems 6, a campaign built around six strategic pillars that addressed key customer challenges while maintaining consistent, inventive storytelling. The judges noted its use of multiple media formats, from comic-book-style storytelling to video and an interactive VR experience, which helped bring a complex product to life and capture attention across digital and in-person platforms.

Making sustainability tangible

Sustainability was another prominent theme, reflected in Best Sustainability Initiative of the Year, awarded to AutoTrader. The company’s carbon literacy toolkit empowers individuals and businesses to integrate climate awareness into daily decision-making. More than 7,400 participants across 332 organisations have completed the training, resulting in almost 15,000 pledged actions and an estimated 27,000 tonnes of CO₂e savings. The initiative’s reach and measurable outcomes demonstrate that sustainability in automotive finance can move beyond pledges to practical implementation.

Technology built for the future

Alfa’s name appeared again in the Best Technology Platform of the Year category, this time for the underlying strength of Alfa Systems 6 itself. The platform, designed around customer-led requirements, provides complete lifecycle functionality, from originations through to servicing and collections. The judges praised the phased, strategic rollout across six key pillars, which ensured stability and adoption from launch. The result, they noted, is a flexible, future-ready platform that sets a strong standard for asset finance technology.

Enhancing the customer experience

STH Consulting received the Customer Experience Initiative award for its work on standardising asset data across leasing, fleet, and insurance systems. The project addressed long-standing challenges with data inconsistency that often undermine service quality and compliance. By establishing common standards, STH Consulting has enabled more reliable lifecycle tracking and emissions reporting, resulting in improved customer experience and data accuracy across multiple touchpoints.

Partnership in practice

The Independent Finance Provider of the Year award recognised Close Brothers Motor Finance for its proactive and collaborative approach to supporting dealer networks. The company implemented two initiatives in response to regulatory and legal changes, one to help independent dealers adapt to new compliance requirements, and another to clarify the impact of an Appeal Court ruling. Both efforts demonstrated agility, transparency, and commitment to intermediary success.

Digital identity at scale

Finally, Signicat AS was named Digital Innovation of the Year for its work on secure, scalable digital identity verification. Operating across 24 countries and recently adopted by a major OEM, Signicat’s technology balances security, regulatory compliance, and user experience — a significant achievement in a complex and fast-evolving field.

Recognition and reflection

The judging panel — comprising of me, Alejandro Gonzalez (Motor Finance Online, GlobalData Plc), David Leggett (GlobalData Plc), Peter Cottle (Finance Torque), and Tarun Mistry (T.Mistry & Associates Limited), assessed submissions for impact, innovation, and real-world value to customers and partners.

As the awards evening drew to a close, one message was clear: Europe’s motor finance sector continues to evolve through practical innovation rather than grand ambition. The winners exemplify an industry focused on technology, collaboration, and sustainable progress, attributes that will continue to define its next chapter.