Mistral Asset Finance Commercial Director Andrew Darby on his new role and the asset finance industry

Q. Who are Mistral Group and Mistral Asset Finance?

• Mistral Group has been offering expert advice and funding for the bus and coach market for more than 30 years. Whether it’s a short-term rental to long-term operating leases or providing finance for a new or existing customer to buy their asset, Mistral is a specialist in tailoring finance solutions for bus and coach operators across the UK.
• Mistral Asset Finance is our division which caters for customers who want to purchase their assets outright or for those customers who are seeking to refinance their fleets or even assist with leverage acquisitions. With our expert guidance and wide range of funding solutions, we are confident we can match our customer with the deal that best suits their financing needs.

Q. Describe your new role at Mistral Asset Finance.

• With over 20 years of experience in the broader corporate finance market with the last 10 being specifically in the asset finance market, I’ve seen a significant amount of change, both positive and negative. My new role at Mistral Group is to advance our already successful asset finance division and take it to the next level.
• We are seeing tremendous growth across all our divisions (Mistral Bus and Coach, Mistral Specialist Vehicles and The Bus Shop brand), but I’m particularly excited about the opportunity for growth within Mistral Asset Finance.

Q. What sets Mistral apart when sourcing funding for both small and large-scale operators?

• The partnering with key funders is integral to this journey, with our whole of market offering critical to this growth, as we want to be able to appeal to not only the well-established industry operators, but also owner/operators and everything in between.
• Our distinct ability to fund via both our own book and then to have several options to fund with our strategic partners (main funding houses) means we can find a home for almost any opportunity.
• This growth also extends beyond the bus and coach sector; we are more than happy to look at other asset purchases for both existing and new customers, but equally as important we can now provide funding solutions for almost every sector.
• Mistral Asset Finance’s pivot from being just a bus and coach funder is a huge step in achieving this growth, with our ability to provide funding solutions for other sectors setting us apart from our nearest competitors.

Q. Describe the current asset finance market.

• The market is seeing a degree of buoyancy with customers who had previously shown caution over the last 12 months, due to numerous rate rises and inflationary pressures, now looking to kick start their capex plans.
• We are also seeing a reemergence of some institutional funders who had been cautious about fully re-entering the sector following Covid. They are beginning to relax their restrictions for the sector, which is hugely encouraging and can only lead to further growth.
• The wider asset finance market is poised for further expansion, following some contraction towards the end of 2023, with bus and coach market growth being driven by factors such as the electrification of fleets, digitalisation, and changing mobility patterns.
• We need to be able to help our customers navigate through this changing landscape, and our position as a reliable finance provider will continue to play a crucial role. We are committed to offering trusted guidance and actively listening to our customers, ensuring that we deliver tailored solutions that adapt to their evolving requirements.