In the dynamic landscape of the European leasing industry, innovation has become a key driving force for success. The Future Group programme, established with the support of Invigors and Leaseurope in 2013, was designed to harness the talents of young professionals in the leasing sector, identifying and nurturing promising young talent within the European leasing industry.

Each year, this initiative challenges participants to devise forward-thinking solutions that address the industry’s most pressing concerns. This year was no different. The 2023 winning idea focused on the priorities of industry lobbying, highlighting a marked shift toward advocacy and impactful change within the leasing world.

At this year’s event, Acquis was proud to have Marie-Claire, Senior Client Manager for Benelux, present as part of one of these talented groups that took centre stage during the 2023 convention in Vienna. Their project clinched the official winner spot by popular vote and earned them ‘Best Presentation’ and ‘Most Impactful Project’.

Marie-Claire’s team itself was comprised of accomplished professionals from various leasing companies, each contributing their unique insights and expertise from across the leasing industry. With Mohamed Oulad from DLL, Luis Hergueta from Societe Generale Equipment Finance Spain, Erika Santamaria from Unicredit Leasing, and Anastasia Pecullo from Ayvens (previously ALD Automotive/LeasePlan) they embarked on a remarkable journey of innovation, spearheading a project that would leave a lasting mark on this year’s attendees.

The need for revolutionising Fleet Management: The Charging Data Aggregator

At the heart of their winning project was the Charging Data Aggregator, a ground-breaking solution tailored to the ever-evolving world of electric vehicles and their adoption. Over the past few years, the European Union has established a robust framework to combat climate change, compelling companies to accelerate their transition to electrification and uphold modern sustainability standards. Fleet managers have as a result found themselves facing numerous challenges as the direction of the market shifts and gathers momentum.

The Regional Challenges in Italy and Spain

Erika and Luis, representing Italy and Spain respectively, shed led on the challenges that fleet managers were facing in their countries. Erika emphasized the need for meticulous planning when driving EVs in Italy as charging station distribution is often uneven, with a higher prominence in the north of the country.

Representing Spain, Luis echoed these concerns. He cited the manual and time-consuming process of data consolidation, especially for home and public charging stations as an issue. However, his primary concern was the lack of control over the energy sources used during charging, a crucial aspect of sustainability that demanded attention.

A Visionary Solution

With their experience and insight into the challenges faced across various regions, Marie-Clare’s group were able to innovatively collaborate on a solution that would reshape the landscape of fleet management.

  • Data Consolidation: Their system consolidates charging data and costs from home and public stations, operating both locally and across the EU, allowing a more comprehensive insight into both the usage and cost of energy for EVs.
  • Behaviour Analysis: Their solution analyses driver charging behaviour, allowing the optimization of costs and CO2 performance. This feature allows sustainability to remain a top priority in a fast-moving sector.
  • Actionable Insights: The system generates quarterly reports with actionable recommendations for optimizing fleet charging costs, improving both sustainability and the cost of running EVS.

 The Road to Implementation

With a concrete solution in place, there were other strategies that the team needed to outline. They would need to be able to collect data from various charging sources, so the winning team outlined a meticulous data consolidation strategy.

Their two-phase approach involved manual onboarding for an initial kick-off which later translated into an automated process. This meant that drivers would be engaged with the system, to provide details of their public charging cards and home charging stations, while an application would be developed to record home charging sessions. Ultimately the final phase would include API connections with charging station operators to facilitate direct data retrieval.

Proud Contributors to the Leasing Industry

The success story of the Charging Data Aggregator group highlights the immense potential within the leasing industry. This year’s Future Group programme serves as a testament to the dedication and expertise of the emerging talent in the field. Their achievements not only reflect the talent present within the leasing industry itself but also show the importance of fostering and prioritising innovation.

Marie-Claire commented on the experience: “I am extremely proud to have been a part of this year’s Future Group, and that our team was recognised through the awards we received.

“The journey I went on with the team was a truly invaluable experience that I could not recommend more. It gave me the opportunity to grow as an individual, while also considering the positive impact that innovative thinking can have on the leasing industry as a whole.”

Connect with the Charging Data Aggregator group

If you’re eager to connect with Marie-Claire and learn more about her group’s journey or the Charging Data Aggregator project, be sure to reach out to her on LinkedIn here.