VAMOS appoints former Lombard MD Ian Isaac as Senior Strategic Advisor

Asset finance technology company VAMOS has appointed former Lombard Managing Director Ian Isaac as Senior Strategic Advisor to support the continued development and expansion of its AI-powered operations platform, Lucero.

Isaac brings more than 35 years of experience in asset finance, including a decade leading Lombard, the UK’s largest asset finance provider, during which the business nearly doubled its balance sheet to £15bn.

He retired from Lombard in 2024, the same year he received the Asset Finance Connect Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contribution to the industry. He has since taken up roles as Chairman of JCB Finance and Director of IAA Advisory.

In his new advisory role, Isaac will work closely with the VAMOS management team, providing strategic guidance based on his experience of leading a major asset finance business and helping the company align its technology development with lenders’ operational requirements.

The appointment comes as VAMOS accelerates the rollout of Lucero across the UK asset finance sector.

Lucero is designed to help lenders streamline their operations by identifying and automating time-consuming administrative processes, enabling existing teams to manage growing business volumes while spending more time supporting brokers and customers.

Richard Huston, CEO of VAMOS, said: “Ian ran the UK’s largest asset finance business for a decade, so he understands what lenders need from their technology, and what a difference it can make to their day-to-day operations.

“Having his experience alongside us will help us make sure Lucero keeps solving the problems that matter most to lenders.”

Commenting on his appointment, Isaac highlighted the opportunities for AI to improve efficiency and customer experience across the asset finance industry.

“AI has real potential to improve the customer experience in asset finance, provided it strengthens rather than replaces the relationships at the heart of our industry.

“What stands out about Lucero is the VAMOS team’s understanding of the day-to-day realities of lenders’ operations teams. They have focused on tackling the time-consuming, manual tasks that create the greatest friction, freeing people to spend more time building relationships with brokers and customers. That’s where technology can make a real difference.”

Isaac also identified opportunities to extend the use of AI beyond operational efficiency into other areas of the lending process.

“I believe there are significant opportunities to apply AI more broadly across the customer journey, as well as to support lenders in developing and executing their strategies.”

Allegra Patrizi, Chairperson of VAMOS, welcomed Isaac’s appointment as the company enters its next phase of growth.

“Ian is one of the most respected leaders in UK asset finance, and I’m delighted to welcome him to VAMOS. His appointment adds rich depth to the experience around the team at an exciting point in our trajectory, as we deploy Lucero to more lenders and enter the next phase of our growth.”