Asset Finance Connect Autumn Conference 2025 Themes
Headline theme: The Autumn Statement — what to expect & what it means for lenders
- Pre-budget outlook: A live interview with Debapratim “Debo” De, Director of Economic Research, Deloitte, on likely measures and their impact on UK lending and investment.
- Community impact panel: What the Autumn Statement could mean for asset & equipment finance, auto finance, and receivables finance.
- Association perspectives: As a new CEO takes the helm at the FLA, we explore how trade bodies can influence policy, engage regulators and communicate in a social-media-first era.
Law, regulation & the commission wars: your complete redress roadmap Three-stage, end-to-end coverage of the FCA’s forthcoming redress scheme — before, during and after consultation — delivered in association with Shoosmiths.
- What we know now about the redress scheme
- How to be ready for go-live in early 2026
- The outlook for auto & asset finance beyond redress
Lending to SMEs: policy shifts & unintended consequences
- Supply-side changes: Private vs bank credit and the expanding role of the British Business Bank
- Independent & challenger dynamics: How public policy and margin pressure are reshaping large banks’ appetite — and where nimble lenders can win
- Broker channel futures: The long-term impact of the commission wars on unregulated, broker-introduced business — risk, reward and the next decade’s model
Technology that moves the needle: originations & AI Originations first: How leading lenders are redesigning broker and proposal journeys to drive approvals, speed and accuracy. Real-world case studies include:
- Haydock Finance — QA initiative tracking Proposal Accuracy, Approval/Decline/Take-up and Payout Accuracy to streamline end-to-end flow
- Paragon Bank — expanding SME lending support for faster broker responsiveness
- United Trust Bank (2025) — broker-first, API-enabled automation of routine tasks to free time for complex deals
- Cambridge & Counties Bank — record lending via targeted automation and specialist hiring, deepening existing broker engagement
- Propel Finance — sustained growth (2021–2024) blending digital platforms with high-touch service AI that pays for itself:
- Dragons’ Den: “oven-ready” innovations focused on cost-to-serve reduction and measurable wins
- Tooling, workflows and governance that scale beyond pilots
Viewpoints: what the industry really thinks
- Soapbox: Rapid-fire, strongly argued perspectives from operators and investors
- Starting from a blank sheet: Designing the AI-driven asset finance lender of tomorrow
- Next Gen (TBA): The Leasing Foundation’s rising leaders on culture, talent and tech
- AFC Oxford Debate: “This House believes the future of SME lending will be direct and not via intermediaries.”
Expect sharp arguments, poll-tested, with audience cross-examination.
Kindly sponsored by
