From the cranes needed to build houses, the gym equipment that lends itself to people’s physical health and the medical scanners that assist doctors in making accurate diagnoses, Lara Yocarini is most passionate about the critical work equipment financiers contribute to the world. “I just find it incredibly cool, what we add to the industry and verticals in which we operate,” Yocarini says. “You drive along a field, see a tractor and can actually think: I played a role in making that possible.”

Yocarini is a strong believer that finance makes the world go around. “Most people cannot afford to pay cash for large, often times business critical equipment,” Yocarini says. Now four months into her role as CEO of DLL, leading a company with a global scale in an industry that makes the real economy turn, Yocarini plans to bring the criticality of finance into her role as a leader. The first step in doing this is to further cultivate a culture within DLL that focuses on listening to customers and truly understanding the ‘why’ of equipment finance.

From Not-for-Profit to Finance

Yocarini calls herself “not a usual suspect” for DLL’s CEO role, having begun in the non-profit sector with notable roles in Vietnam, Benin and New York. When she transitioned into finance, Yocarini gained experience in South Africa before moving to France. Her recent tenure at Rabobank in her home country, the Netherlands, involved managing the agricultural financing portfolio as Rabobank’s global head of rural and food and agri. This role, coupled with the departure of her predecessor, Carlo van Kemenade, to Rabobank, opened the door for Yocarini to step into the CEO role at DLL.

“As with anything in your career, some of it is based on luck — being the right person, at the right place, at the right time,” Yocarini says. However, through her career, and in her advice to rising leaders, Yocarini says it is imperative to properly prepare to take on opportunities once they present themselves. “This involves investing in your skills and knowledge, continuing to develop yourself, building your network and being clear about your aspirations so people actually know what it is that you’re aiming for.”

Creating a CEO Vision

Yocarini’s initial focus as CEO has been to immerse herself in DLL’s global operations, understanding the business and connecting with members (that’s what DLL calls their employees), partners and customers.

Notably, there are many aspects of DLL that Yocarini does not want to change, particularly the company’s dedication to and longstanding relationships with its partners and customers, some of which date back 30 years. What she does hope to influence for DLL’s clients and partners is their expectations as the markets continue to evolve. “We need to keep upping our game to be responding to market changes, especially in terms of customer service,” Yocarini says.

As she takes her role and vision for DLL forward, Yocarini aims to enhance DLL’s digital capabilities, improve customer service and promote sustainable asset financing.

In terms of representing DLL externally, Yocarini plans to gradually increase her presence at industry events, aiming to contribute to the broader success of the equipment finance industry while continuing to deepen her understanding of DLL’s diverse, global operations.

The Foundation for Collaborative Leadership

“If you think you’re leading but no one is following, then you are only taking a walk.” This quote from John Maxwell, a prominent thought leader, is a principle Yocarini holds close in her leadership, and something she will apply to her role at DLL. Rather than inspiring and creating strong leaders, Yocarini wants DLL to have a strong, collective and collaborative foundation of leadership. “It’s not about giving answers; it’s about working together and making things better as a whole.”

Another important aspect of leadership for Yocarini, particularly for her fellow leaders at DLL, is evaluating failure as learning opportunities. “If you want people to take ownership over decisions, they need to feel safe to do so,” Yocarini says. “I think a key role there is also diversity in terms of thought and in terms of background. Bringing diversity into your leadership will make it so much richer.”

The ‘Why’

Though equipment finance was not in her wheelhouse prior to DLL, Yocarini has deeply immersed herself in the industry, cultivating a positive outlook of the sector. She believes equipment finance is a “healthy” product, given that people will always need financing, and that equipment plays such a vital role in the world. While she recognizes the state of the economy is challenging and heavily affects equipment finance companies, she says inflation is coming down, and interest rates will follow suit.

In the near and far future of the industry, Yocarini anticipates shifts towards rental and usage-based models and the need for innovative financing solutions as new assets emerge. She also believes sustainability will play a huge role in the future of the industry. “Finding the right model is key,” Yocarini says. From her perspective, the industry will have to get comfortable looking at the assets of the future.

“People are looking for end-to-end solutions; the services component is going to be increasingly important,” Yocarini says. Additional concerns arise from here: how will all of this be packaged? What platforms and channels are necessary to get customers comfortable with these changes? “We need to be prepared for all of these shifts,” Yocarini says.

A unique challenge for DLL, being a global company based in Europe, is the heavy regulatory landscape, which the company faces around the world. “How do you create a level playing field when the regulations in some countries are different?” Yocarini says.

Yocarini’s goal as CEO is to build on DLL’s 55-year legacy, maintain the company’s strong culture, adapt to evolving market needs and help change the landscape of equipment finance.

Stay tuned for an upcoming episode of ‘The W’ with Yocarini on Monitor’s Suite platform.