Lindsay Town joins IAA-Advisory as chief executive

Today IAA aims to support its clients with “timely advice on the full spectrum of industry issues”.  It consists of an extensive global network of contacts which enable it to keep in touch with industry trends and empowers IAA to act as an informed commentator on the wider asset finance industry, and help to lead industry thinking.

The new organization “will help IAA to grow, with a particular focus on developing and executing company strategy in response to industry and commercial challenges”.

Commenting on his appointment, Town said: “I am delighted to have been asked to take on the role of chief executive at IAA-Advisory.  The skills and capabilities of the people involved in IAA have been proved time and again in diverse roles, through several business cycles.

“As we face the future it is clear that we need to have a business that can assist a wide range of clients to shine some light on emerging trends, to grasp the resulting strategic opportunities, and help to fix the inevitable tactical bumps in the road.  I am convinced that the IAA team offers a fresh and modern approach and I am immensely proud to be part of the next chapter.”

Derek Soper, founder and chairman said: “The industry needs a combination of experience and forward thinking to help it move into a new era. Lindsay brings those attributes and more; we will benefit hugely from his involvement and guidance and we are all looking forward to working with him to take the company into its new environment.”

Town has been in the asset finance and leasing industry for 40 years and has been involved in an extensive range of product and industry sectors, from high value cross border transactions to point of sale consumer finance business including major aerospace and marine sectors through to private motor vehicles and capital markets.

His career to date covers several organisations, including Barclays, Lloyds TSB, HBOS and PricewaterhouseCoopers, and a range of roles from transactional to initiating and leading material strategic change as well as acquisitions and disposals. He has worked both in the UK and US.

Prior to taking early retirement in 2009, Lindsay was a managing director of Bank of Scotland, Corporate where he was responsible for leading a wide portfolio of asset finance and leasing businesses, which consisted at its peak of approximately £18 billion of funded assets and over 2,250 employees.

Lindsay Town was formerly a director of the Finance & Leasing Association and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland.