Addressing the meeting, the re-elected President was able to report on the record volume of business achieved in 2017 (67 billion euro), and on the sector’s promising start to the current year. He explained the healthy levels of new business being acquired as follows: “Leasing is more attractive than ever, because it provides solutions to the challenges currently being thrown up by digitization and the accelerated pace of innovation, as well as by the sharing economy, with all the emphasis it places on a service-oriented approach.”
Ostermann cited competence in the assessment of investment objects, an understanding of the market, and closeness to the real economy as the factors driving the sector’s success. He also pointed out that the medium-sized structure of the leasing industry was not only a part of its own DNA but also a reflection of the overall business landscape in Germany. “However, for the sector to fulfil its role as an investment engine, in particular for medium-sized companies, policymakers must set in place operating conditions leasing companies feel they can rely on.”
Fiscal policy is location policy
With regard to the increasingly intense levels of tax competition between countries, the BDL President had the following to say: “Companies need to know that any investment they make in a German location will give them a competitive edge. And amongst other things that means we must have fiscal policies that are fit for purpose. For fiscal policies are also location policies.” Germany, he said, needed its politicians to show a clear commitment to sound economic policy, and to the provision of incentives for investment and innovation. The BDL would therefore continue to urge the government and policy makers to create conditions that encouraged investment. Bureaucracy and over-regulation had to be cut back, and depreciation tables were in urgent need of revision. “These tables haven’t been updated in almost 20 years, and have long since ceased to bear any relation to real-life technology cycles.”
Management Board of the BDL
Kai Ostermann (50) has been the President of the BDL since April 2017. Prior to his election, he served for six years as one of the Association’s Vice-Presidents. He succeeded Martin Mudersbach (akf Leasing GmbH & Co KG), who retired last year and accordingly had to relinquish his positions as BDL President and Chairman of the Management Board.
The members of the BDL elect a new Management Board every three years. At Wednesday’s General Meeting, Anthony Bandmann (Volkswagen Leasing GmbH), Maximilian Meggle (MMV Leasing GmbH), Michael Mohr (abcfinance GmbH), Marion Schäfer (Miller Leasing Miete GmbH), Kerstin Scholz (VR-LEASING AG) and Hubert Spechtenhauser (UniCredit Leasing GmbH) were re-elected to their board positions.
The BDL, which has around 150 member companies, represents the interests of the leasing industry in Germany. Its membership accounts for more than 90 percent of the volume of the German leasing market. Each year, the volume of new business acquired by the leasing sector is in the region of 65 billion euro, which makes it Germany’s largest investor. At the present time, the value of vehicles, machinery, IT equipment and software, medical technology, energy systems, real estate and so-called other assets leased in Germany stands at over 200 billion euro.
A photograph of BDL President Kai Ostermann can be downloaded here.