Philip Alton

Expertise

Philip has extensive experience across a broad spectrum of finance matters. He has particular expertise in equipment leasing and asset finance together with consumer credit work. He regularly provides advice on regulatory issues, drafting standard and bespoke finance documents, advice on the structuring of projects and handling one-off transactions. He has assisted various clients gain FCA authorisation and frequently advises on authorisation issues.

Philip spent a number of years in-house at HSBC Equipment Finance where he was involved in numerous specialist areas, particularly in relation to motor finance at manufacturer, dealer and retail levels.

With over 30 years’ experience in asset finance, he has particular expertise in motor finance, truck finance, yellow plant and IT. Specialist product lines on which he has advised include employee car ownership schemes, vehicle stocking plans, manufacture support programmes, block discounting and sub-hiring facilities. He has assisted many clients with regulatory advice on consumer credit.

Philip also has experience in ship finance transactions, as well as of documenting structured financial arrangements where the tax outcomes are of particular importance.
 

How do you help clients?

I enjoy helping clients to get complex deals over the line. Teamwork is key to this and the Gateley team frequently acts as an extension of the client’s own team. This means that we share the ups and downs that transactions inevitably bring – but we enjoy celebrating successfully completed deals.

Regulatory compliance work doesn’t give quite the same buzz but it's essential that clients keep up with the constant stream of regulation that businesses in the asset finance sector have to contend with. We are one of few firms in the country that have significant experience of consumer credit regulation so we can get to the crux of any regulatory issue and handle it in a practical way
 

Experience

1. Acting for a finance company in documenting a bespoke arrangement for a £45m stocking facility for yellow plant.
2. Acting for a leasing company in connection with a £30m lease of studio equipment.
3. Acting for a super broker in developing and negotiating a consumer loans offering for a major retailer.
4. Preparing a technical paper for four leasing companies to assist them in developing employee car ownership scheme products.
5. Acting for a finance company in preparing and negotiating the terms of a manufacturer support scheme for the supply of IT products.