Industry leaders and innovators honoured at Asset Finance Connect UK Conference & Awards

The Asset Finance Connect UK Conference & Awards (formally International Asset Finance Network) saw the sixth presentation of awards for innovation in the auto and equipment finance sectors. These awards recognise outstanding contributions to the industry, highlighting how technology is being used to create new business opportunities and transform daily life.

The awards are assessed and voted on by an independent panel of industry experts, and are designed to showcase best practice and true innovation, and to acknowledge those organisations and individuals who have committed to making a real change in approach.

This year’s awards included a number of new categories, in response to the changing and challenging conditions of the past eighteen months. These included an award for Best Response to Covid-19 and the ESG Award, both of which acknowledge the impact of external forces on the asset finance industry. There were award categories reflecting the developing trends within the industry, including awards for Subscription Product Development and Pay per Use/Pay per Customer.

Also handed out on the night were the long-established award for CEO of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement award, while the awards reflected the need to nurture and encourage new talent into the sector, with a Diversity category, and a special ’30 under 30’ award, given in conjunction with the Leasing Foundation.

The full list of award winners is:

Category	Status	Company
Best response to COVID-19	Highly Commended	Propel Finance
Best response to COVID-19	Winner	Hitachi Capital Business Finance
Customer journey excellence	Winner	Tomorrow’s Journey
Diversity 2021	Winner	BMW Group Financial Services
Process Improvement and Intelligent Automation Sponsored by VIP Apps Consulting	Winner	Bluestone Motor Finance
Environmental, Social and Governance Standard Award	Winner	QV Systems
FinTech Innovator Award Sponsored by HPD Lendscape	Highly Commended	Funding Xchange
FinTech Innovator Award Sponsored by HPD Lendscape	Winner	Findustrial
Pay per use/pay for outcome finance development 2021	Winner	Capitas Finance Ltd
Digital direct 2 customer development 2021 Sponsored by Teamwill	Highly Commended	iVendi
Digital direct 2 customer development 2021 Sponsored by Teamwill	Winner	QuickFi by Innovation Finance USA LLC
Rate for risk innovation 2021	Winner	CrediCar
Subscriptions product development 2021	Winner	Tomorrow’s Journey
Over All Winner – Innovation & Development Sponsored by Q2	Winner	QuickFi by Innovation Finance USA LLC
European Auto Finance Community best in class 2021	Highly Commended	ALPHERA Financial Services
European Auto Finance Community best in class 2021	Winner	MotoNovo Finance
European Equipment Finance Community best in class 2021	Winner	Sopra Banking Software
UK Asset Finance Community best in class 2021	Highly Commended	Hitachi Capital Business Finance
UK Asset Finance Community best in class 2021	Winner	Simply
Lifetime achievement award 2021 Sponsored by Alfa	Winner	Nathan Mollett, MD – Asset Finance, United Trust Bank
CEO of the Year 2021 Sponsored by Alfa	Winner	Mike Dennett, CEO, BMW Group Financial Services