More than 250 equipment finance professionals participated in a webinar on lease accounting led by industry veteran Sudhir Amembal on March 4. The session, titled Accounting for Leases: A Customer Perspective, provided an overview of lease classification, terminology, and financial reporting considerations.

Attendees included professionals from banks, captive finance companies, independent firms, and service providers. The webinar focused on how leasing decisions impact financial statements and the benefits of different lease structures for customers. Amembal emphasized the importance of front-office professionals understanding key accounting principles to effectively engage with clients.

“Lease accounting is complex enough that even accountants have difficulty fully understanding the intricacies,” Amembal said. “While those in the front office don’t need to grasp every technical detail, they must understand enough to intelligently liaise with their customers.”

The session was part of Amembal’s larger training initiative, Winning With Leasing!, a virtual seminar series designed to equip finance professionals with essential industry knowledge. Amembal, a longtime figure in the equipment leasing sector, has trained more than 80,000 professionals and authored 18 books on the subject. His contributions to the field have earned him multiple industry honors, including induction into the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) Hall of Fame.