CHG Meridian’s return to the Monitor 100 comes with a caveat from its leader: its absence was procedural, not a step back, for the global organization that conducts business in 35 countries. “The business has experienced tremendous growth over the last couple of years in North America,” Simon Harrsen, executive vice president of North America for CHG Meridian, says.

A former Division I and semi-professional soccer player, Harrsen credits the sport for habits that carried into business. “Soccer taught me about how to continuously optimize performance, work well with the team and how important every single member is,” he says.

That team has expanded with the acquisition of Meridian Leasing Corporation in December 2024, a deal Harrsen calls almost circular: CHG Meridian’s own name comes from a Meridian Leasing business acquired in Europe decades ago. “It was almost like destiny when Meridian Leasing was in the market and was looking for a new ownership group,” he says, describing the U.S. team as people “who’ve been with the business for many years and know the market inside out.”

Beyond the deal, Harrsen points first to people, then to the company’s Tesma platform and an expanded device-as-a-service offering. “As of today, it’s still people who make the difference for us. Those AI tools that we’ve been rolling out, they’re supportive for us and they make us more productive.” He also cites independence from banks and manufacturers as an edge, letting CHG Meridian act as “a little bit of a consultant” to clients locked into captive leasing arrangements.

Life-cycle management is where Harrsen gets most specific. Client savings run north of 20%, he says, driven by residual value, refurbishment and remarketing. Operating leases let clients avoid service and maintenance costs by upgrading rather than holding aging equipment. “The circular economy model ultimately creates a second life cycle for assets which drives down cost,” he says. CHG Meridian backs the pitch with an EcoVadis platinum rating, putting it “in the 1% of most sustainable businesses around the globe.”

Looking ahead, he plans to create a billion-dollar U.S. business, with the team on pace to finish near $500 million this year.

“I think there is a path for us to become a billion-dollar lease origination business in the U.S. alone, and that’s what we target.”

Rita E. Garwood is editor in chief of Monitor.