motorhub Jan - Mar 2016 | Page 16

MOTORHUB MAGAZINE A cheap way to buy expensive cars…Finally! Vehicle and asset financing is a global trend when it comes to purchasing vehicles and other assets. Motorhub’s Edmond Atto caught up with Apollo Twinomuhangi, the head of vehicle and asset finance at Stanbic Bank Uganda. To the average Joe, could you describe Vehicle and Asset Financing? VAF (Vehicle and Asset Finance) is an alternative means of financing the acquisition of identifiable, movable, durable and insurable assets. These may include Motor Vehicles, Machinery, Plant and equipment. How does leasing in Stanbic bank differ from that in other financial institutions? The difference may not be much but as Stanbic, the VAF product started in 2004 strategically because SBU needed to broaden its product offerings; to offer a range of options and deepen financial penetration in the market. This product is there to give an alternative form of financing to the already existing and new customer; aimed at ensuring the customer has a choice. The issue at the end of the day is service and being a one stop shop for your customers. How are the payments generally structured? Unlike typical loans that have standardized repayments, for leasing, the repayments are structured to suit the client’s cash flows. For example, if I am dealing with an agricultural farmer who has got two seasons in a year, repayments would be structured to run with those two seasons. For a school, the repayments would be structured in a way that payments are made as and when the school receives income which is termly. So, the payments are always structured in line with the client’s income flow. What are the pre requisites for an individual or business to qualify for this service? The key considerations for a business are the underlying contracts the business has, the cash flows, legal status of the business, financial performance of the entity, level of debt with other institutions and the business profile of the promoters. In the case of an individual, the In which situations might you key thing is to be able to prove that you advise an individual to seek out have got a clear and dedicated source this product? of income that will help you meet your Any business or individual that would obligations. It could be you