About Mike Randall

Business leader, entrepreneur, CEO and a true supporter of SMEs with over 35 years’ experience in the asset finance industry and Chair of the Leasing Foundation and a driving force in the sector. Mike founded Simply in 2017 after being employed in senior positions by some of the biggest asset finance houses in the UK. He wanted to totally revolutionise how SMEs could access much-needed funds purchase equipment, free up working capital and invest in growth and provide them with a better, faster, simpler, more efficient service. Mike has built the business into one of the fastest growing asset finance providers in the UK today. In 2019, from a standing start, it went in at number 44 in the AF50, the UK’s most influential annual survey of business and equipment lessors. By focussing on creating the right culture and values, promoting diversity and young talent - from the start Mike has recruited and invested in graduates and people from outside the industry – Simply now employs over 100 people and has funded more than 3000 customers and has been awarded multiple accolades, including IAFN’s ‘equipment finance lessor of the year’ and Leasing World’s ‘innovator of the year’ and ‘top SME specialist’. Mike is still very involved with customers and splits his time between constructing funding deals for ambitious companies, running a successful lending business and actively helping support the business finance industry by helping other funders through their own transformation journeys. Outside of Simply, Mike is an active industry speaker and holds the AFI CEO of the Year, Equipment Finance award (2018). He is very involved in the FLA and the Leasing Foundation, with a focus on innovation and actively developing young talent. He is also passionate about encouraging cross-sector collaboration which will help all small and medium enterprises across the UK. He can also be found jumping out of aircraft raising money for charities and trying to hit a straight golf ball. Specialties: Running a business; leadership; forming an inclusive culture; negotiation; customer retention; organisational growth, strategy development and delivery; market presence; communication; team management and able to recite the alphabet backwards.