Celebrating 35 years of innovation: Alfa’s journey and its future

Alfa, a name synonymous with innovation and excellence in the asset finance industry, marks an extraordinary milestone this year: 35 years of success, transformation, and leadership.

35 years of resilience, reinvention, and relationships

Reflecting on Alfa’s 35-year anniversary, Hammond highlights the company’s ability to continually reinvent itself as the key to its longevity.

“Being able to stay that long in the industry shows we can keep up with progress, adapt to markets, and grow sustainably. It’s a testament to strong relationships, listening to the market, and a sustainable business model,” she said.

This adaptability has positioned Alfa as a global leader, expanding beyond its UK roots into new markets across Europe, North America, and beyond.

Alfa at the AFC Leaders’ Summit Europe: a celebration and a statement

This year’s AFC Leaders’ Summit Europe holds special significance for Alfa. As headline sponsor, Alfa will kick off the celebrations with a pre-summit drinks reception on May 14th at LuminAir, Amsterdam’s premier skybar. Set against stunning city views, the event will offer a relaxed and vibrant atmosphere for networking, celebrating Alfa’s 35-year milestone, and connecting with industry peers.

“The European market is crucial for us as we shift further towards becoming a truly global company,” said Hammond. “This event is both a celebration and a reflection of our broader strategic ambitions.”

How Alfa’s product strategy has evolved

Alfa’s product innovation journey mirrors the evolution of the asset finance industry itself. From early green-screen systems to today’s browser-based, composable architecture with Alfa Systems 6, the focus has consistently been on flexibility, configurability and scale.

One of the biggest transformations has been the shift to a structured, professional product management function, ensuring that Alfa’s solutions are directly aligned with client needs and market trends.

“We’ve moved from bespoke, client-driven development to a coherent, scalable product strategy, focused on solving real business use cases,” Hammond explained.

2024: a breakthrough year for Alfa

Alfa’s record-breaking financial results in 2024 were the culmination of years of focused investment in product innovation and market understanding. The launch of Alfa Systems 6 has been a major driver, particularly with features like Compose, allowing clients to build and configure their own user experiences; Ask Thea, integrating AI-driven assistance; and new modules supporting sustainability goals and full asset lifecycle management.

The focus on efficiency, flexibility, and user experience resonated strongly across Alfa’s client base in EMEA and the US.

The rise of Alfa Start in Europe

Another exciting development is the European expansion of Alfa Start, a rapid-deployment solution for smaller and scaling asset finance companies.

“Alfa Start addresses a market gap for an affordable, flexible solution that scales with businesses, while bringing best practices from larger players,” Hammond shared.

Initially targeting northern European markets, Alfa Start combines a strong base configuration with the ability to adapt to local regulatory and operational nuances—a game-changer for cross-border asset finance providers.

Cloud, AI, and the future

Today, over half of Alfa’s customer base is hosted on Alfa Cloud, a managed service that offers customers security, scalability, and a springboard for innovation. With a dedicated team continually leveraging AWS tools, Alfa Cloud customers can expect new services and functionality rolled out consistently.

AI is another major area of focus. Alfa’s approach is pragmatic and client-focused—using AI where it genuinely solves problems rather than adopting technology for its own sake.

“We see AI as a tool to solve customer and internal challenges. We’re piloting solutions across reporting, user story generation, and workflow automation,” Hammond noted.

AI will also feature prominently in Emily Hammond’s roundtable session, with Invigors, at the AFC Leaders’ Summit Europe, where she will discuss the path from proof-of-concept to production for AI innovations.

A strong culture, driving future success

Alfa’s extraordinary 96% staff retention rate and high internal satisfaction scores reflect a culture deeply rooted in innovation, diversity, and opportunity.

In April, Alfa proudly retained its ‘We invest in people’ Gold accreditation, a recognition of their continued commitment to developing and supporting their workforce. With over 500 employees globally, Alfa places great importance on maintaining their unique culture, which they describe as diverse, innovative, and inclusive.

“Our investment in people, culture, and innovation is what has kept us strong for 35 years—and it will keep driving us forward,” Hammond emphasised.

Looking ahead, Alfa remains committed to client-centric product development, scaling AI innovations, and solving real-world asset finance challenges through smart technology, experience, and a clear understanding of what the industry truly needs.

Join Alfa at the AFC Leaders’ Summit Europe in Amsterdam on May 15th to celebrate their 35th anniversary and discover how they are shaping the future of asset finance in Europe.