Investec marks 20 years of Asset Finance with AI broker event

Investec Asset Finance (IAF), a subsidiary of Investec Bank plc, a leading international bank and wealth manager, today announces that Investec Asset Finance marked its 20th anniversary with an event for more than 80 UK Broker principals and directors, centred on an educational session about the future of the market and the likely impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the broker community.

The event focused on the opportunities and challenges brokers may face as AI, automation and data-led business models begin to influence the assets clients need to fund. Investec invited David Rowan, a technology and innovation expert and founding Editor-in-Chief of WIRED UK, to lead an educational session on where exponential technology curves are taking asset finance, giving brokers practical insight into how technology could reshape client demand.

Rowan is recognised for his work on how emerging technologies affect businesses and how leaders can prepare for technology-led disruption. He has delivered more than 700 keynote speeches, moderated events for organisations including the World Economic Forum.

His message was that AI will not solve every business challenge overnight. Instead, he set out how AI could become a layer of infrastructure that underpins many sectors, comparable with the way electricity and the internet changed business activity. For asset finance brokers, that means AI is not only a technology issue, but a market issue that could influence the types of assets clients invest in, how those assets create value for their businesses, and how lenders assess and finance those assets.

The educational session set out three takeaways for brokers:

One: new asset classes are emerging

AI is creating demand for assets that go beyond traditional vehicles, machinery and equipment. These include autonomous vehicles, robotics and automation platforms, AI-enabled healthcare diagnostics, smart manufacturing systems, renewable energy and battery infrastructure, intelligent logistics networks and AI-powered agricultural equipment. For brokers, this means client investment cases may increasingly involve unfamiliar assets with different revenue models and risk profiles.

Two: the broker’s role is becoming more strategic

As new asset classes emerge, brokers will increasingly help clients understand which technologies can create genuine business value and how those investments should be funded. Many AI-driven assets may not fit neatly into traditional funding frameworks, particularly where clients pay for usage, output or performance rather than outright ownership. This creates an opportunity for brokers to act as translators between innovation, client need and lender requirements.

Three: human expertise matters more, not less

AI may automate routine tasks, but it also increases the value of trusted advisers who can provide context, judgement and commercial understanding. Brokers who understand both emerging technologies and their clients’ objectives will be well placed to help businesses navigate change, assess value and structure finance around new models.

Wes Harfield, Head of AFG Sales, Investec Asset Finance, said:

“Marking 20 years of Investec Asset Finance was first and foremost a chance to bring people together. It was fantastic to see so many of Investec’s broker partners in the room and to have a proper discussion about what could shape client demand in the years ahead.

“Those relationships matter. Investec Asset Finance has grown its broker network from 50 brokers in 2006 to 260 today, and that growth has been built on working closely with brokers who know their clients and understand what businesses need to invest, adapt and grow.

“What came through clearly from David Rowan’s session is that AI isn’t only a technology story, it’s an asset finance story. It’s creating new categories of assets, changing how businesses think about value and increasing the need for brokers who can help clients explain new investments clearly.

“For brokers, this brings both opportunity and challenge. Clients will need support to understand which technologies can create value, and lenders will need to assess unfamiliar assets, revenue models and use cases. Investec will continue working closely with brokers to share insight, support strong client conversations and help businesses fund the assets they need as the market evolves.”

Laura Laird, Head of Risk, Shire, who attended the event, commented:

“The event made the AI discussion relevant to brokers and their clients. The session wasn’t about every broker becoming a technology expert, but about understanding where client investment needs may be heading and how brokers can support those conversations.

“Investec created a valuable forum for senior brokers to discuss future opportunities and challenges, backed by practical market insight and a long-term partnership approach.”

Investec Asset Finance works with specialist commercial finance brokers to provide asset finance to UK mid-market businesses, corporates and professional practices, including transactions up to £10 million. Its services for asset finance brokers include VAT deferrals on hire purchases for hard assets, stage payments, seasonal payments and foreign exchange, designed to support clients’ asset acquisitions.

The 20th anniversary event reflected Investec’s long-term commitment to the broker market and its ambition to continue supporting brokers as client demand evolves. As AI becomes more embedded in business investment decisions, Investec believes brokers will have an important role in helping clients understand, fund and adopt the assets needed for a more automated and data-led economy.