Leasing Life Conference & Awards 2017

Leasing Life Conference confirmed speakers include:

Stephan van Beek, President, Dutch Leasing Association

Stephan van Beek is President of the Dutch Leasing Association and Member of the Board of VNO-NCW. He is also Director Global Business Development & Marketing Oracle Financing. Prior to joining Oracle Stephan van Beek has been working for De Lage Landen Group, where he was responsible for the roll out of (IT) vendor programs in Europe. In 1996 Stephan joined Oracle Corporation and he has been responsible for the establishment of Oracle Financing in Northern Europe & Central Europe, introducing the relatively new concept of software leasing and financing concept in the respective markets. Currently he is responsible for the business development & marketing activities of Oracle Financing in Europe, Middle East & Africa and the JAPAC region.

Andrew Denton, Chief Executive Officer, ALFA

Andrew Denton is Alfa’s Chief Executive Officer and leads the company. Since joining the company in 1995, Andrew has been instrumental to the company’s global strategy and success, and joined the Board of Directors in 2003. He was made Chief Operating Officer in 2014, and became CEO in September 2016. Andrew joined Alfa (formally CHP Consulting) as a consultant and earned his first project management appointment in 1998. In 2000, Andrew moved permanently into Sales and Marketing. In the subsequent three years he was responsible for a series of key business wins, including Alfa’s first European, Australian and US implementations at GE Capital Key Lease, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Textron Financial. His many achievements led to his promotion to the board, and since then he has overseen the development of ALFA v5, a fully browser-based version of the ALFA platform written entirely in Java, and brought in many more major new clients. Andrew continues to take the business forward and is a keen advocate of modern methods and approaches, such as agile development and Lean Six Sigma. Andrew is also CEO and joint founder of the Leasing Foundation, an organisation that supports the leasing and asset finance industry through charitable activities, research and development.

Carmen Ene, CEO, 3StepIT

Carmen’s career started in Bucharest where she helped found one of its first IT companies in 1990. This rapidly became the number one IT company in Romania, and was acquired by IBM. A successful international IBM career followed: she established financing operations in South Africa and Central Europe; she was General Manager of IBM Global Financing Italy; became Vice President IBM Global Financing Northeast Europe, managing more than $6BN of assets; and finally Vice President Enterprise for IBM Global Business Services. Carmen joined 3 Step IT in 2015 to help transform the organisation into a service led financier. Carmen has an M.A. in Cybernetics, Statistics and Informatics from the Academy of Bucharest and an MBA from the OU London. She is a Governor of the Leasing Foundation and a Director of Amcham Finland: a hub that facilitates international business.

Patrick Beselaere, CEO of ING Lease Belgium and Global Head,  ING Lease  

After a few years in banking and in the textile industry, Patrick has started his career in leasing in 1989. Patrick has executed different positions in sales and marketing, operations and risk before taking over general management of ING Lease Belgium in 2007. This responsibility has been extended towards Commercial Finance. Since 2012 Patrick is also acting as the Global Head of Leasing within ING Group. ING Lease offers financial leasing solutions on behalf of the ING bank distribution network , vendors and brokers to business customers in Europe. Currently ING Lease holds portfolios in 9 European countries.

Per Dahlqvist, Head of Business Development, Tieto

Per holds degrees from Yale University and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. After 6 years in Singapore working for Fortune 500 tech giant ABB, in 2015 he returned to Sweden to join Emric, a disruptive FinTech software provider. Per was part of the team that sold Emric to Tieto during 2016.  At Tieto, Per heads up business development for financial services. In this role, he has helped to establish Emric’s and Tieto’s position as a strong Nordic player within analytics and lending software and as a first-rate provider of leasing software both in the Nordics and across Europe. In addition to promoting Emric’s innovative software suite, Per is excited about growing Tieto’s analytical products suit in the field of machine learning and AI.

Mourad Bergaoui, Project Director, Codix        

 17 years working on commercial and consumer finance software solutions as business expert and project director with some of the biggest financing companies in Europe and North Africa. Mourad has been working for Codix since 2009 as Project Director, managing several commercial finance projects mainly for Tunisie Factoring, Eurofactor Germany, ABC Leasing and Belfius as well as an insurance/collection project. Before that he worked for Linedata Services for 9 years around the credit and leasing software called EKIP, first as a business expert and then as head of the business experts department working for SOFINCO, ING LEASE, KBC LEASE, ATTIJARI WAFASALAF, BNP Personal finance, Credit Agricole leasing and many others.

David Fletcher, VP Sales,  Dealflo

David is responsible for defining and executing Dealflo’s sales strategy. Prior to joining Dealflo, David worked at Callcredit for seven years across multiple roles, most notably the Vertical Markets Division breaking into new markets such as Lending, Retail, Gaming and Payments, building up a new division to £10m+ of recurring revenue.  David also has significant experience in building and delivering strategic channel sales strategies, securing international partner relationships with organisations such as Google and MasterCard. He is active in developing Dealflo’s product strategy, being an expert in all forms of financial services origination, including: customer verification, financial crime prevention and risk assessment.

Chantal Voncken, Regional Sales Manager – North, Cisco Capital

Chantal Voncken leads Cisco Capital’s sales operation in the North Theatre which includes Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. In this role Voncken is responsible for leading a team of expert financial solutions managers to help support Cisco’s customers acquire and consume their Cisco solutions. Voncken joined Cisco Capital in 2000 as Structured Finance Manager for Internet Start-ups and Service Providers in Europe. In 2005 she took on the role as Regional Finance Manager for Eastern Europe responsible for building relationships and growing the business. And she was then quickly promoted into a European management role, responsible for developing propositions and integration. Prior to joining Cisco, Voncken was Relationship Manager at ING Barings, responsible for global accounts. She has also held account management roles at Societe Generale and Credit Lyonnais Bank.

Jochen Jehmlich, CEO, Société Générale Equipment Finance

Jochen Jehmlich has a degree in economics and  started his career as a trainee at Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt specializing in corporate client business. In 1990 Jochen Jehmlich joined GEFA Group and assumed several leading positions in Sales. In 2000 he was appointed Managing Director and CEO of GEFA in 2003. He was previously Deputy CEO of Societe Generale Equipement Finance since 2014.

Bas van Asseldonk, Executive Vice President Europe, DLL

Bas van Asseldonk is Executive Vice President Europe at DLL. Since joining DLL in 2002 as an International Management Trainee, Bas has taken on roles of increasing responsibility in Business, Finance, Strategy and IT, including assignments in the UK and USA. Before he was appointed as EVP Europe in December 2016, Bas steered the future direction of DLL’s IT organization as Chief Information Officer (CIO) and was head Group Strategy & Innovation and advisor to the Board of Directors. Bas has lived at various Anglo-Saxon sites (New York, Philadelphia, Sydney, London) in several functions (program management, collections & recovery, operations and financial management) and developed into a true all-rounder. He has a degree in Business Economics from Tilburg University and earned a Master’s degree in Finance and Control from Maastricht University.

John Rees, Chief Commercial Officer, SGEF

A Banking and Finance professional with more than 25 years of experience in the equipment finance market around the world, John is a graduate of Bristol University. John started his career with National Westminster Bank.  From there he moved to Bank Leumi (UK) Plc where he began to specialize in asset finance.  After working with Svenska Finans (Swedish) and ING Lease (Netherlands) John joined Hambros Bank Plc. When Hambros was acquired by Societe Generale in 1998 John continued to manage the UK business of Societe Generale Equipment Finance. He moved to France in 2002 to work in the head office of SGEF, followed by a two years assignment to manage the SGEF business in Sydney, Australia and a 3 year assignment for SGEF in China. John moved back to France in August 2012 to take up a role in the RISK division of Societe Generale supporting the business line of Equipment Finance. He was previously SGEF‘s Head of Industry and Vendor Management since October 2014.

Philippe Rozental, Chief Operating Officer, SGEF

Philippe Rozental has an Engineering degree from ENSTA and a Master degree in Mathematics and Computer Sciences from Université Louis Pasteur Strasbourg. Prior to joining Societe Generale, Philippe worked for three major consulting firms on various project assignments. Philippe started his career within the Group in 2005 as Project Management Officer with Societe Generale Securities Services, and then held various management positions within the division. In his last position, he was Head of the Asset Servicing business and Exco member in SGSS France. As global CAO and CIO, Philippe Rozental supervises the Resources department at SGEF HQ. He is in charge of Resources including supervision of IT, Business processes, Organisation, Innovation and Real estate functions across the Business Line.

Pascal Layan, Global Head of Business Lines & Member of the Executive Management Committee, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions

Within the General Management Committee, Pascal Layan, Global Head of Business Lines, supervises Equipment & Logistics Solutions (ELS), Technology Solutions (TS) and Bank Leasing Services (BLS) International Business Lines, and the Marketing and Business Report & Analysis functions. From 1990 to 2000, he held several managerial responsibilities within BNP Paribas entities specialising in Vendor Finance (BNP Lease, Crédit Universel), before becoming Sales Director TS France of BNP Paribas Lease Group between 2000 and 2005. Pascal Layan was then appointed as Sales Director of Technology Solutions International Business Lines (IBL). In 2008, he took up responsibility as Managing Director of BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions in Portugal. He was then appointed Head of Marketing & Solutions for the specialised IBLs in 2011 and then, in 2012, he was named Head of the Equipment & Logistics Solutions IBL, Board Member of CNHi Capital Europe and Claas Financial Services, and Chairman of JCB Finance.

Patrick Gouin, CEO Max&Tite International & Senior Advisor Invigors, The Alta Group

Patrick Gouin is the CEO of Max&Tite International, a Consultancy firm specialized in strategy, international business development, business optimization and change management. He is also Senior Advisor at Invigors – Alta Group a consultancy firm specialized in asset finance. He was until recently the Global Head of Strategy & Business Optimization, Member of the Management Committee at Société Générale Equipment Finance, the European Leader in Equipment Finance. Before this he was heading the High Tech International Division since 2008. Patrick Gouin started his career in a consultancy firm from 1978 to 1985. He then joined the Alcatel Group as an advisor to the office of the Chairman of Alcatel, and General Manager of CGE-Composants a subsidiary of the Group specializing in the distribution of electronic components and computers. In 1991 he joined Digital Equipment France as Managing Director for the indirect distribution channels. In 1996, he became Head of leasing and remarketing for Digital Equipment Europe and set up the JV Digital Finance with De Lage Landen in 1997, then was named Managing Director of the European High Tech Division in Eindhoven. Between 2003 and 2007, he has been in charge international consultancy projects for leading names of the leasing industry as a partner of The Alta Group.

Lindsay Town, Chief Executive, IAA-Advisory

Lindsay has been in asset finance for 40 years and has worked with an extensive range of product and industry sectors, from high value cross border transactions to point of sale consumer finance businesses. His career has covered senior roles at several organisations, including Barclays, LloydsTSB (UK and USA), and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Latterly, Lindsay was with HBOS plc where he led a wide portfolio of asset finance businesses, which consisted at its peak of approximately £18bn of assets and over 2,250 colleagues.  Lindsay is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland. Having taken early retirement from Lloyds/HBOS in 2009, Lindsay has recently taken the role of CEO of IAA-Advisory Limited, a leading leasing advisory and consultancy firm.

Nora Vermin, Managing Director, Deutsche Leasing Benelux

Nora started her leasing career in 1999 at a captive leasing company active in the construction sector. In 2009 Nora joined Deutsche Leasing Nederland to set up and develop the sales activities, vendor relations and customer base in the Netherlands . In 2012 she took on the role as a Sales Manager being responsible for the sales activities in the Benelux. Nowadays Nora is leading  the sales operations in Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Sweden.

Robert Peterson, Director Strategy & Business Development, ABN AMRO Lease

Robert Peterson, Director Strategy & Business Development, is a Dutch leasing veteran.  He has more than 25 years’ experience in leasing and equipment finance and held various management positions in sales, marketing and corporate and business development. Robert received his law degree from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1987. He started his professional career in sales and account management, for ABN AMRO Lease domestically and in Germany. More recently he is responsible for developing the leasing business of ABN AMRO understanding the impact of IFRS16, Internet of Things and Circular Economy. Robert has a strong view of how leasing and equipment finance will develop in the future.

Besides his activities at ABN AMRO Lease, Robert is currently Advisory Board member of the International Finance & Leasing Association (www.ifla.com). He regularly publishes articles and is a speaker at conferences.

Petran van Heel, Sector Banker,  ABN AMRO

 Petran van Heel works as a sector banker Construction at ABN AMRO. In this role, he follows the most important trends in the construction sector and has a continuous dialogue with partners, prospects and other stakeholders. After completing the Delft University of Technology and the Rotterdam School of Management, Petran gained extensive national and international experience on both the building and the financial side. After his start as a real estate developer at Royal BAM Group, he continued to work for BAM in London with a focus on project financing. Back in the Netherlands he has used his combined experience within BAM PPP. Subsequently, Petran made the move towards real estate development at Rabo Real Estate Group (MAB). He worked on several large-scale urban (transformation) projects in both acquisition and concept development and realisation.

Rick van Hemert, Asset Manager, ABN AMRO Lease

Rick is an experienced Equipment Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in both public sector and financial services industry. Skilled in Banking, Asset Management, Credit Risk, as well as International Relations, Sport for Development and Human Rights. In the past year Rick has developed a view on sustainability and its relation to leasing. Working closely together with the product development department for future products to support the ABN AMRO vision of becoming a better bank for a better future. ABN AMRO Lease is a leading provider of leasing and equipment finance solutions, delivering sustainable results for both customers and shareholders through professionalism and outstanding customer focus.

Carol Roberts, Managing Director, Bibby Leasing Limited

Carol has worked in the Leasing Industry for over 50 years starting her career with NWS – Bank of Scotland.  Positions held – Branch Office Manager (she was the youngest female to run a Branch). She stayed with the company for 12 years and left in 1974 to set up the first Leasing Brokerage in the UK and went on to purchase two leasing businesses which they grew and developed and eventually sold to Pallas Group (owned by S G Warburg – Merchant Bank in 1988). She stayed with the company as Operations Director and Pallas Group was eventually sold to GE Capital EF in March 1995.  When GE bought the business, she was promoted to UK Structured Business Leader (Divisional Managing Director) and held this position until June 2000. She opened her own consultancy business and in 2004 started to work with Leeds Leasing Ltd, part of Leeds Group Plc.  Carol joined the board of Leeds Group Plc and was appointed MD of Leeds Leasing Ltd.  In 2005 this business was sold to Bibby Financial Services and she has remained the MD of Bibby Leasing since the acquisition.  In March this year, Carol joined BFS Global Exco reporting directly to the Global CEO. Carol Roberts is a Board Director of the FLA, and also Vice chairperson and Director of the Leasing Foundation.  She co-chairs the Diversity and Inclusion sub-committee for the Foundation.

Simon Lefevre, Managing Director, ABN AMRO Lease UK

Simon Lefevre is Managing Director of ABN AMRO Lease UK. He joined the business in 2016, originally as Sales Director and has extensive experience in Asset Based Finance within the UK market. Prior to working at ABN AMRO, Simon headed up the UK leasing business for Bank of London and The Middle East and held various positions at both ING Lease and Lombard. ABN AMRO Lease is a subsidiary of ABN AMRO Bank and focusses on providing middle and larger ticket asset finance facilities to UK corporates, delivering solutions through long term partnerships with our introducers and clients.

Prof. Peter Thomas, Founder, The Leasing Foundation

Peter was one of the founders of the Leasing Foundation and has acted as COO since its establishment. He was formerly CTO of Serco’s e-business arm, Executive Director of the Interactive Information Institute in Melbourne Australia and a senior academic at institutions in Australia and the UK. He retains visiting academic positions at Falmouth University, where he is Professor of Financial Innovation, the University of Newcastle where he is visiting Professor of Practice, Brunel University where he is Professor of Information Systems and Business and Beijing Normal University, China, where he is Dean for International projects at the International Institute for Big Data in Finance.

Richard de Keijzer, Managing Director UK, ABN AMRO

Richard de Keijzer joined ABN AMRO Bank in the Netherlands in 1999 and spent 15 years in the corporate bank, holding various management positions. He moved to the UK in March 2015 to join the Lease Business as Sales Director. By the end of 2015 he was promoted Managing Director for Lease and has taken on the role of MD for ABN AMRO Commercial Finance since. As part of its international growth strategy, the Dutch bank is combining Lease and Commercial Finance into one Asset Based Finance business in Western Europe. Richard will be a member of the group Management Team, responsible for the growth of Asset Based Finance in the UK. Richard has an MBA degree from Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus, RSM)