Connaught Finance opens US office

Connaught Finance Investment has announced the opening of its fourth overseas office, to be based in New York, as the company continues to grow its business outside its traditional Asia Pacific focus.

“The mature equipment leasing market of North and Central America as well as Canada has always appealed to Connaught Finance for expansion. But expansion is not just one of opportunity you need the right people with the right skill sets and that’s the challenge. That is why we are very pleased to announce that Sandy Garrett has joined our group as President of Connaught Finance USA,” explains Paul Errington, Connaught’s CEO.

Errington cited Garrett’s almost 30 years experience in structured finance, and vendor finance for equipment in the Americas, which he said will enhance Connaught’s presence in the US as well as creating a link into Asia for existing as well as new clients with a focus on the Far East.

A graduate in Operations Research from Columbia University, Garrett worked for IBM and in financial analysis before founding The Garrett Group in 1985, a structured finance and leasing firm that specialises in bringing technology and sustainable energy equipment suppliers, end-users, and financing sources together. As such, he is now general manager for Stratech Finance, a leading supplier of airport foreign object debris detection equipment and Doerfer Finance, a middle market contract automation equipment supplier. Garrett is also chairman of R3 Group, an Asian based IT lessor and minority investor in 3 Step Asia Inc.

The New York office will provide the full suite of financial solutions that are offered from the other Connaught offices in Hong Kong, Frankfurt and Sri Lanka. The company’s main focus stems from structured finance for equipment through vendor relationships and direct to end users but also project finance and private equity investments.