Leasing Life’s monthly summary of the key career moves in the leasing and finance industry.
Sklaroff to leave FLA
Stephen Sklaroff, director general of the UK’s Finance and Leasing Association (FLA), has decided to leave the organisation later this year, after 12 years in the post.
Prior to joining the FLA in 2007, Sklaroff was deputy director general of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) between 2000 and 2007, where he was responsible for a range of issues including general and life insurance, savings policy, EU and international affairs, public affairs and communication, and HR and finance.
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Prior to the ABI, he enjoyed a long-established career at the UK’s Civil Service, including roles as head of communications for three successive Secretaries of State: Margaret Beckett, Peter Mandelson and Stephen Byers.
Funding Circle hires former Close Brothers executive
SME finance provider Funding Circle is expanding its broker teams with three hires focused on the UK regions of Northern England and Scotland.
Mike Morris, formerly of Close Brothers Retail Finance, joins Funding Circle as regional manager for the North region and Scotland, bringing with him over 10 years of experience in commercial finance within asset-based lending and leasing finance. Cameron Ritchie and Nick Newton have also joined the team as business development managers.
Over his career, Morris has helped to grow Close Brothers Retail Finance from a relatively new business to over £100m (€117m) in annual sales in just three years. In addition, he supported the creation of a broker channel at digital payments provider Thinksmart to promote asset-based lending.
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By GlobalDataRitchie, recruited from an asset management firm where he worked as an account manager, joins Funding Circle as the first business development manager for Scotland. Newton joined Funding Circle as the North East business development manager in December 2018, bringing with him six years of experience in commercial finance.
ALD Automotive makes raft of senior management changes
French fleet management and car leasing business ALD Automotive has made a number of changes to its senior management team and board.
Chief operating officer John Saffrett has been made deputy chief executive officer of ALD, effective 1 April 2019. ALD deputy chief executive officer Gilles Bellemere will also take on the role of chief executive officer of ALD Automotive France, the group’s largest subsidiary, replacing Jean-Michel Chanal who is retiring.
Philippe Heim, deputy chief executive at Société Générale, has joined ALD as a board member for four years, replacing Gianluca Soma, whose mandate is due to expire. The business intends to make Heim its chair, replacing Didier Hauguel, who will remain as a director.
Chief executive officer Mike Masterson has decided to expand ALD’s executive committee, composed of the general management and chief financial officer Gilles Momper, to include two new members, whose appointments will be effective 1 June 2019.
Hans van Beeck will join the committee as chief administrative officer, a newly created position. He will be responsible for supervising ALD’s corporate functions, including risk, compliance, legal, corporate social responsibility, and communications, in addition to his current role as head of investor relations.
Guillaume de Léobardy will join the committee as group regional director, and will be responsible for supervising ALD’s regional hubs.
Close Brothers Asset Finance MD joins Compass Business Finance
Compass Business Finance has appointed a company director, effective 1 April 2019. David Bunker has taken an equity stake in the business, and will work with brothers Mark and Jamie Nelson, who founded Compass in 2005.
Prior to joining Compass, Bunker spent the majority of his career at Close Brothers Asset Finance, most recently as assistant managing director of its print team. In the past 26 years, he has worked in client management in the print, packaging, transport, construction and engineering sectors, while also leading major projects. Bunker was key in helping Close Brothers set up its German business in 2016.
Wyelands adds ex-Aldermore and ABN Amro staff as directors
Wyelands Bank has appointed Kelvin Thomas and Henry Wheeler to its working capital solutions team. They both join as regional directors – working capital solutions. Based in Cardiff, Thomas is responsible for originating deals in South Wales and the South West, while Wheeler, based in Leeds, is focused on Yorkshire and the North East.
Thomas has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry, with asset-based lending experience. He joins Wyelands Bank from ABN Amro Commercial Finance, where he was sales director for Wales and the South West. Before joining ABN Amro, Kelvin held a senior role at Eurofactor.
Wheeler joins from Aldermore Bank where he was responsible for business development in Yorkshire, and is experienced in helping SMEs to access asset-based lending solutions.
BNP Paribas LS appoints healthcare manager
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions has appointed a key account manager for healthcare leasing.
Ian Swindell has extensive relationship management experience in the financial services industry, and joins from Siemens Financial Services, where he was account development manager.
