LeasePlan stresses continuity and enhanced opportunity after Consortium deal

LeasePlan Corporation has been sold for €3.7 billion. That's huge. But according to a spokesperson for LeasePlan, the new owners will have very little impact on its strategy and ambitions. Except by providing the world's largest lease company with extra tools and opportunities to realise those ambitions.

How will the sale of LeasePlan impact its strategy and international scope?
“The shortest, most essential answer is this: The deal will enable LeasePlan to continue its long-term strategy and growth ambitions, with our customers at the heart of our business”. 
“To expand a little on that, let me say that the Consortium of investors sees LeasePlan as an attractive, long-term investment opportunity. I refer to the press release of one of the Consortium members, which states that the consortium looks forward to supporting the management team as they focus on growing the business”.
“Now, as for LeasePlan's international scope: as you know, we've entered several new markets in the past few years, and most recently we acquired full ownership over LeasePlan Turkey. We will continue along this path – expanding our global footprint where we see opportunities to do so. The Consortium will support us in this, and in fact provides additional financial services and strategic expertise. This only enhances our commitment to providing high-quality, innovative fleet management and driver mobility services to our clients worldwide”.

Some of your international clients may have questions about your new shareholders, and your future stability. How would you answer them?
“The Consortium is a group of long-term investors, composed of pension funds, global investment companies and private equity firms. They will bring financial strength and expertise in support of LeasePlan's future development. But LeasePlan has always acted with full strategic and operational independence, and that will not change. We will continue to offer the highest levels of service to our clients, and we remain committed to our long-term relationships. Those relationships will not change either – our clients will still be doing business with the same trusted people at LeasePlan”.

Can you give us a bit more details on the deal itself?
“You have to keep in mind that we're not talking about an immediate change of ownership. The closure of the deal is still subjct to approval of several regulatory authorities. That process is expected to take several months, to be concluded by the end of this year. In the meantime: it's business as usual”.