BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions host “partner economic forum” event featuring industry experts and insights

7th April 2022 – BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions (BNP Paribas), Europe’s leading providers of asset finance and leasing solutions, yesterday hosted their “Partner Economic Forum.”

Following the success of BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions’ pre-pandemic events, the Forum brought together key influencers and stakeholders within finance and technology to discuss the latest industry developments.

Held at BNP Paribas’ Central London Headquarters, the event recognised the hard work of the leasing and finance industries throughout the Coronavirus pandemic and looked forward to a greener, more economically viable future.  

BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions latest event marked the launch of the company’s new Green Technology business segment, “Tech for Good”. The new scheme will give businesses greater opportunities to use leasing to improve their green credentials, including optimising asset efficiency to grow revenue.

The conference featured a wide range of leading speakers from across BNP Paribas Group, including Paul Hollingsworth, BNP Paribas Chief European Economist, Martin Ardern, Head of Business Development at BNP Paribas Technology Lifecycle Solutions, Tracey Fuller, UK Head of CSR, Sarisher Mann, Sustainable Finance Communications Expert, and Graham Drew, Country Manager at BNP Paribas 3STEP IT.

The Economic Forum event, gathered together over 100 key influencers and partners of BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions. Panels highlighted the current economic climate, alongside ESG reporting and sustainability across the leasing finance sector. It also facilitated sector wide discussions from a range of esteemed companies such as Ricoh Capital, Kyocera and Acer, to share stories and network with industry colleagues.

Kickstarting the event, Martin Ardern, Head of Business Development at BNP Paribas Technology Lifecycle Solutions, said:

“BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions are delighted to welcome our friends, partners and colleagues from across the finance and leasing industries to our Partner Economic Forum. It is fantastic to finally be able to bring key influencers and players together after such an unprecedented two years for our sectors.”

Following that, BNP Paribas’ Chief European Economist, Paul Hollingsworth, provided a holistic macroeconomic outlook from a financial perspective. He said:

“Following the pandemic, the impacts of Brexit and now the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the shocks to the economy and the subsequent impact on inflation are becoming impossible to ignore. This is causing a squeeze on consumer incomes, and we expect to see this continue in the short-term.

“My takeaway is that it looks like we may be heading towards a stagflation environment, but I’m not sure we’re there yet. I don’t think the shock we’re seeing at the moment, is going to be a full-blown recession.”

Discussing ESG in the contemporary finance industry, Sarisher Mann, Sustainable Finance Communications Expert and Finance Engagement Communications Manager at BNP Paribas, said: 

“Environmental Social Governance is fast becoming a crucial lever in the way global businesses are run. In 2012, the Green Finance market was valued at around $5 billion and today it is over $540 billion. To accelerate this evolution, BNP Paribas has created a wide range of tangible solutions to help clients in their transition towards net zero. This includes targeting renewable energy, circular economy approaches, green buildings and mobility.”

Tracey Fuller, UK Head of CSR at BNP Paribas, added: 

“At BNP Paribas, we are passionate and committed to creating a sustainable future for the economy, our staff and society. It is crucial for corporates, big and small, to support knowledge sharing, learn, and generate ideas to scale up and create a sustainable culture shift. BNP Paribas has created several initiatives to support staff empowerment including toolkits, recognition of CSR engagement and open forums for discussion. We look forward to collaborating with our ecosystem on this journey towards a more sustainable future for all.”

Later on, Graham Drew, Country Manager at BNP Paribas 3STEP IT, discussed Technology Lifecycle Management (TLM) for Channel Partners. He explained:

“The global pandemic has taught us we need to adapt to ongoing challenges, particularly the issues of sustainability and waste disposal.

“In three to five years’ time, we will see a tsunami of technology waste as pandemic purchased devices reach the end of their lifespan. Our research shows that 87% of business owners don’t know where this technology waste goes. It is imperative that there is investment at every level into new, sustainable solutions that give technology a second life.

“At BNP Paribas 3STEP IT, our solutions equip clients with the tools they need to address and meet their net zero targets, by responsibility refurbishing and recycling a wide range of technology products.”

The Partner Economic Forum was hosted by BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, the European leader in asset finance, who specialise in leasing and rental solutions for professional equipment, offered either directly to businesses or through its partners and their distribution channels.

For Media enquiries, please contact:

Rebecca Rabbitts @ marketing.leasingsolutions@uk.bnpparibas.com