TALLAHASSEE, FL, September 17, 2024 – The National Auto Finance (NAF) Association hosted its exclusive 2024 C-Suite Retreat last week, bringing together top executives from across the auto finance industry to strategize on the future of the non-prime sector for this landmark event. Held in San Antonio, TX, the Retreat offered a rare opportunity for CEOs and senior leaders to collaborate on addressing the industry’s most pressing challenges and explore new opportunities for growth and innovation.
The retreat was designed to provide a focused, intimate environment where industry leaders could reflect on lessons learned from the past while anticipating future market shifts and regulatory developments. With auto finance undergoing significant transformation due to digital advancements, evolving customer expectations, and an increasingly complex regulatory environment, the C-Suite Retreat served as a platform for forward-thinking discussions and long-term planning.
“The C-Suite Retreat was a valuable opportunity for our industry’s leaders to come together and collaborate on the issues that are shaping the future of auto finance,” said Jennifer Martin, Executive Director of the NAF Association. “This retreat allowed for open and strategic conversations that go beyond the day-to-day operations, helping us to focus on the big-picture goals that will ensure our industry’s continued success.”
Participants reviewed key insights from the 2023 NAF Association Annual Survey and identified opportunities for leveraging digital transformation and data analytics to drive operational efficiency and enhance customer experiences. The event also highlighted the growing importance of sustainable finance solutions as the industry aligns with broader societal values.
The retreat underscored the value of strategic partnerships, emphasizing the need to ensure technological compatibility and evaluate potential partners’ reputations and financial stability. Leaders recognized that these partnerships would be critical in navigating the rapidly changing landscape and staying competitive in the years ahead. Attendees also discussed the importance of staying agile in the face of market and regulatory changes, investing in technological innovation, and re-evaluating long-term goals with sustainable growth.
As the auto finance industry continues to evolve, participants at the C-Suite Retreat explored the role of automation, artificial intelligence, and innovative compliance strategies in shaping future operations. The discussions also included a vision for the future, imagining a fully integrated technological landscape and new financing models that could transform how businesses operate.
“Our discussions on automation, AI, and digital transformation provided valuable guidance for future innovation,” said Marguerite Watanabe, President of Connections Insights and the event facilitator. “This retreat allowed the group to share insights on these ideas, which helped us explore the challenges and opportunities ahead and develop strategies to position individuals, companies, and the industry as a whole for success.”
The NAF Association would like to extend a special thank you to event sponsors, defi SOLUTIONS, dotData, Experian, Secure Collateral Management, RepoSystems, and Trust Science for their generous support, which helped make the 2024 C-Suite Retreat a success. Their contributions played a key role in facilitating the critical conversations that will shape the future of the auto finance industry.
The C-Suite Retreat is a new addition to the NAF Association’s Signature Event line-up, alongside another new offering, the Compliance Workshop scheduled October 28-29, 2024, in Irving, TX which will be facilitated by esteemed Hudson Cook attorneys. The Non-Prime Auto Financing Conference remains the association’s largest event of the year and is planned for June 4-6, 2025, in Plano, TX.
