Managing Director - Commercial Leasing & Asset Finance

About the role

Our client is a well-established European financial services group with a significant international footprint. We are conducting a search for a Managing Director to lead their North American subsidiary, based in Chicago, IL (on-site). This is the top leadership role for the region, carrying full responsibility for commercial operations across the U.S. and Canada. The successful candidate will report directly to international senior management at the European headquarters. The position is a fixed‑term engagement of 3 to 4 years, requires 40–50% travel (domestic and international), and relocation assistance is available (domestic and international).

Responsibilities

• Strategic and operational leadership of the North American business unit.
• Oversight of all core functions including sales, credit, operations, and portfolio management.
• Driving business development and long‑term growth while aligning with the parent company's global strategy.
• Building and maintaining relationships with business partners, vendors, and the board.
• Leading and developing a local management team.
• Providing regular reporting to the board on business performance and key initiatives.

Requirements

• University degree.
• 5 to 10 years in a senior leadership position within leasing, commercial lending, or financial services.
• Deep end‑to‑end understanding of the leasing business, including origination, credit, operations, and portfolio management.
• P&L management experience with responsibility for a corporate unit generating substantial revenue.
• Experience across a wide range of ticket sizes and most asset classes.
• Strong credit analysis and risk assessment capabilities.
• Proven ability to manage and develop teams while driving performance.
• Skilled in financial mathematics with a solid grasp of legal and fiscal considerations.
• Strong networking abilities, both within an organization and externally with partners and clients.
• Proficiency with enterprise systems such as ERP platforms, CRM tools, and the MS Office suite.
• English fluency at native or business‑proficient level.
• Entrepreneurial mindset combined with operational discipline.
• High degree of flexibility, resilience, and a strong work ethic.

Preferred qualifications

• MBA or equivalent advanced degree.
• Experience in vendor financing and dealer channel business models.
• Background with a global leasing company or the leasing division of a major international bank.
• Prior experience operating across both European (especially German) and North American markets.
• Proficiency in German or another European language.
• Previous international assignment or cross‑border management experience.

Benefits

• Base salary of approximately $250,000 – $280,000 (more may be considered for an exceptional candidate).
• Variable incentive structure (roughly 30% of total compensation).
• 25 paid leave days.
• Comprehensive benefits package including 401(k), medical, dental, vision, life insurance, prescription drug coverage, and disability insurance.
• Company car (partial maintenance).