ALF debates sustainability, digital transition and mobility as growth drivers

The Portuguese Association of Leasing, Factoring and Renting (ALF) brought together institutional leaders, sector representatives and professionals from the areas of specialized financing, mobility and the economy at the 2025 National Convention last Thursday at the EPIC SANA Marquês Hotel. Under the motto “ Growing Strategic Sectors”, the event with 140 participants reinforced the central role of Leasing, Factoring and Renting in the modernization of the Portuguese economy, with a focus on the demands of the energy and digital transition and sustainable mobility.

The opening session was delivered by Luís Augusto, President of ALF and João Duque, President of ISEG.

Luís Augusto stressed the resilience and relevance of specialized financing instruments, which continue to make a decisive contribution to the national economy, even in contexts of uncertainty and crisis. In 2024, the three segments ended the year with significant gains: Leasing recorded growth of 19.9%, Renting increased by 13.6% in the value of new vehicles contracted, and Factoring grew by 3.4% in the value of turnover. Equipment and Vehicle Leasing surpassed the two billion euro barrier in production, reaching 2.15 billion euros - a growth of 15.2% - while Real Estate Leasing totaled 911 million euros, with a significant growth of 32.8%. Overall, Leasing exceeded 3.1 billion euros in financed assets, making it the product with the highest annual growth. In Renting, 38,634 new light vehicles were hired, for a total of 1.16 billion euros, representing a total managed fleet of 137,000 vehicles. Factoring and Confirming totaled 45.7 billion euros in turnover, including 5.3 billion euros in Export Factoring, reinforcing the sector's role in supporting internationalization. 

Professor João Duque, economist and guest speaker, highlighted the weight of specialized financing in the Portuguese economy and warned of the power and responsibility that this dimension implies. He stressed that, as an alternative to traditional bank credit solutions, specialized financing contributes to democratizing access to mobility, well-being and investment solutions. He called for the transformation of current challenges - such as international instability or the energy transition - into opportunities for innovation, and stressed that the sector must lead the change by offering technological and sustainable solutions.

The first panel of the conference, dedicated to growing strategic sectors, discussed the impacts of international trade tensions and the challenges faced by the logistics, transport, construction and distribution sectors, including exports. Afonso Mascarenhas de Almeida (President of APLOG), José Nogueira de Brito (President of APED), Luís Gomes (President of APQuímica) and Ricardo Gomes (Vice-President of AICCOPN) analyzed regulatory obstacles, dialogue with the government and the resilience of the Portuguese economy and export industry.

The second panel focused on the car market in Portugal and trends in electric mobility. Juan Santos (Bosch Car Service) and Pedro Cordeiro (BYD Portugal) discussed the growth of electric vehicles and BYD's rise as a global and national benchmark in new energies. Nuno Bonneville (Galp) stressed the need for greater predictability on the part of the State and highlighted investment in charging infrastructures on the Iberian Peninsula. Paulo Fernandes (BMW Portugal) presented BMW's strategy for the energy transition, warning of the tax obstacles to the adoption of electric vehicles by private individuals.

Gonçalo Regalado, CEO of Banco Português de Fomento, closed the session by reinforcing the bank's role as a partner in business investment and national economic modernization, with programs that include Leasing and Confirming.

The 2025 edition of the ALF National Convention was also marked by the 1st ALF Specialized Financing Awards, which distinguished the institutions with the best performance in the categories of greatest new production and greatest growth:

- Equipment and Vehicle Leasing Production Award: Caixa Geral de Depósitos 

- Real Estate Leasing Production Award: Millennium BCP 

- Factoring Production Award: Santander Totta

- Confirming Production Award: Millennium BCP 

- Renting Production Award: Ayvens

- Equipment and Vehicle Leasing Production Growth Award: Santander Totta 

- Real Estate Leasing Production Growth Award: Santander Totta 

- Factoring Production Growth Award: Banco Montepio 

- Confirming Production Growth Award: BNP Paribas Factor 

- Renting Production Growth Award: Locarent 

This ALF event reinforces the conviction that Leasing, Factoring and Renting solutions not only offer an answer to today's challenges, but are pillars for sustainable growth, technological innovation and the future competitiveness of the Portuguese economy.