Europe’s asset finance leaders gather in Amsterdam for AFC Summit

Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving economic and geopolitical landscape, delegates came together to explore the future of asset finance through a full day of insightful discussions, collaborative roundtables, and strategic networking.

Setting the scene: a time for clarity and collaboration

Knubben painted a candid picture of Europe’s current challenges — from red tape to economic constraints — questioning whether the EU can match its ambitions with the necessary political will and financial resources. He highlighted the newly introduced Omnibus Regulation, intended to streamline outdated legislative frameworks across 13 regulatory packages, as a step towards smarter governance.

Strategic shifts and market movements

Now operating as BPCE Equipment Solutions, the integration is aimed at leveraging SGEF’s expertise and international footprint to enhance BPCE’s competitiveness and growth in the equipment finance sector.

Meanwhile, Peter-Jan Bentein, Secretary General at Leasing Nederland, offered an optimistic view of the Dutch leasing industry’s ability to support SMEs in the long-term transition to electrification and the circular economy, stressing that the shift will take decades, not years.

AI and innovation: hype or help?

She emphasized the need for enterprise-wide strategies and closer collaboration between business and tech functions, noting that AI should be seen as a problem-solving tool — not a novelty.

Later in the day, Karan Oberoi and Eldon Richards of Solifi delivered a practical session on agentic AI, focusing on high-impact use cases, risk management, and how to align AI with tangible business outcomes.

Auto finance under pressure

In a dynamic auto finance panel, AFC’s David Betteley led a conversation with representatives from Leaseurope, CA Auto Bank, Renta, Deloitte, and Alphabet. Key topics included the EU’s Strategic Dialogue on Auto Industry reform and accompanying action plan, the rise of Chinese brands in Europe, and the push for used BEV markets. Notably, Stijn Blanckaert of Renta underscored a central tension in EV adoption: “It’s a revolution not embraced by the people, but imposed by governments.”

Equipment finance: partnering for progress

Vendor finance partnerships and profitability were core themes in the equipment finance sessions. Industry leaders from Sandvik, Lenovo, Cisco, Palo Alto, and FIS discussed friction points and future opportunities in manufacturer-financier relationships.

Van Ramesdonk succinctly stated, “Sustainability without return is not sustainable.” The panel explored how to balance sustainability goals with return on investment, especially in a world where SMEs need tailored funding solutions and where private equity might unlock higher-margin opportunities, and debated the influence of different shareholder models on ESG integration and concluded that sustainable profitability must be a shared industry goal.

Roundtables: deep dives on big issues

Afternoon roundtables allowed leaders to tackle pressing strategic questions in smaller, focused groups. Topics included: the commercial reality of ESG beyond subsidies; AI’s role in reducing operational costs; the transformative potential of private equity in asset finance; solving pain-points in vendor finance partnerships; the viability of pay-per-use (PPU) models; and unlocking real value from agentic AI adoption.

These sessions sparked lively debate and cross-sector collaboration, reinforcing the summit’s goal of creating actionable dialogue among Europe’s asset finance leaders.

A toast to the future

Alfa, FIS, Solifi, Shoosmiths, and Odessa sponsored the closing events, capping off a day filled with insight, innovation, and industry alignment.

Looking ahead

Whether through AI, sustainability, regulation, or strategic partnerships, the message was clear: leadership, collaboration and innovation will shape the next chapter of equipment and auto finance in Europe.