Awards Dinner
VRL, in association with Leasing Life, is delighted to present the 2009 European Leasing Life Awards.
The winners were announced at the Awards Dinner, which took place in the evening of the Asset Finance 2009 conference in Berlin, 10 December 2009.
This year's Awards categories:
- European Lessor of the Year
- Captive Finance Provider of the Year
- European Vendor Partnership of the Year
- German Lessor of the Year
- UK Law Firm Asset Finance Provider of the Year
- European Lessor SME Champion of 2009
- European Functional Leader of 2009
- Lifetime Achievement
- Personality of the Year
European Lessor of the Year
This prestigious award, the most important in European leasing, will reflect the performance of a large leasing business at the top level of European business. Against the recessionary backdrop, lessors will not necessarily be celebrated for growth and business volume, rather for the efficiency in which they have tackled a much more difficult business environment. Judges will account for financial results, innovative business development strategies, new products and mastery of the risk-reward balance. Nominees will include banks and international independent lessors.
Captive Finance Provider of the Year
Influenced by the dual pressures acting on the credit markets and the manufacturing sector, captives have been under the spotlight over recent quarters. Winners in this category will share the ability to support the parent and still innovate in a high-pressure environment.
European Vendor Partnership of the Year
This award does not go to a vendor finance company, rather to a vendor finance partnership. It will centre on a lessor's ability to manage all three parties in a vendor finance agreement - the lessor, the manufacturer and the customer - whilst driving volumes and paying attention to due diligence. We will also take into account the work of the lessor's overall vendor finance business.
German Lessor of the Year
Given the importance of German industry and its associated financial sector, it seemed natural for these European awards to be based in Berlin. The German leasing industry has been hit hard by the dual forces of the recession and new regulatory pressures. This award will recognize a German lessor that has best survived these particular challenges.
UK Law Firm Asset Finance Provider of the Year
To win this award, law firms specialising in equipment finance must show the ability to litigate for their clients across all arenas - from insolvencies, fraud and contract disputes - and have the ability to provide serious corporate and financial advice.
SME Champion of the Year
With a perceived public failure of both government and financial institutions to keep the SME economy alive, we seek to reward those lessors that have made a demonstrable contribution to the livelihood of small businesses without sacrificing their commercials goals.
European Functional Leader of the Year
Awarded to the head of a particular function within a leasing company, this award will celebrate exceptional leadership within any field; be it risk, sales, human resources or the work of a CFO.
Lifetime Achievement Award 2009
From time to time there are individuals who have given outstanding service to the industry. The judges will be considering nominations of individuals who have taken it upon themselves to enhance the reputation of the leasing industry whether in country, European or globally. This will be an individual who we are proud to have as part of our industry.
Personality of the Year 2009
The Judges will be considering the various attributes which lead to an individual to be 'outstanding' in his/her service to the leasing industry during the year. The individual may have grown a particular company well beyond expectations, influenced a major change in legislation or generally added to the reputation of the industry as a whole.
