Autonom signs agreement to acquire 100% of Business Lease Romania

Autonom Services S.A. has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Business Lease Romania S.R.L. from Business Lease Group B.V., part of AutoBinck Group. Completion of the transaction is subject, among other conditions, to approval by the Romanian Competition Council and foreign direct investment (FDI) screening clearance, in accordance with applicable legislation.

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Marius and Dan Ștefan, co-founders of Autonom:

“Operational leasing plays an important role in the development of the Autonom Group, and the agreement to acquire Business Lease Romania reflects our confidence in the potential of this segment. We see this transaction as an opportunity to combine the experience of the two teams with Autonom’s nationwide network and service ecosystem. For our customers, our objective is simple: to provide them with a capable and flexible partner that understands their business and evolves alongside them.”

Elias Drakopoulos, CEO of Business Lease Group:

„We are proud of what Business Lease Romania and its employees have built over the years. In Autonom, we have found a strong local partner with the experience, market knowledge and ambition to build on these foundations and support the company in its next phase of development. We are confident that this combination will create a strong platform for the future, benefiting customers, employees and the business as a whole.”

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Subject to completion of the transaction, the acquisition of Business Lease Romania is expected to strengthen Autonom’s operational leasing division by expanding its fleet and customer portfolio, while also welcoming the Business Lease Romania team and its experience in corporate fleet management. Until completion, Business Lease Romania will continue to operate as usual.

Over its 20 years of activity, Autonom has also expanded its operational leasing division through acquisitions. In July 2018, the company completed the acquisition of BT Operational Leasing from Banca Transilvania Financial Group, a transaction accompanied by a partnership giving the bank’s customers access to an extended range of mobility services. In April 2022, Autonom completed the acquisition of Premium Leasing S.R.L., the company operating under the Țiriac Operating Lease brand, taking over a fleet of more than 2,600 vehicles and its customer portfolio. The two transactions contributed to the expansion of Autonom’s operations and strengthened its position in the Romanian operational leasing market.

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In connection with the transaction, Autonom was advised by Filip & Company on legal matters and by EY on advisory matters, while AutoBinck Group was advised by A&O Shearman on legal matters and ING Bank as financial advisor.