The deal would mark Autonom’s third acquisition in operational leasing, following BT Operational Leasing and Țiriac Operating Lease.
The price was not disclosed, and the transaction is awaiting approval from the Competition Council. For AutoBinck, Romania is the last of five regional markets divested in less than a year.
“Operational leasing plays an important role in the development of the Autonom group, and the agreement to take over the Business Lease Romania business 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 our national network and service ecosystem. For clients, our objective is simple: to be a capable and flexible partner that understands their business and adapts alongside them,” said Autonom co-founders Marius and Dan Ștefan, as reported by Economica.net.
Once completed, the acquisition of Business Lease Romania would strengthen Autonom’s operational leasing division by expanding its fleet and client portfolio. Until then, Business Lease Romania will continue operating as before.
Last year, the target company reported turnover of RON 144 million (EUR 27 million), net profit of RON 5 million (EUR 1 million), assets of RON 538 million and liabilities of RON 463 million.
This is Autonom’s third acquisition in operational leasing, following BT Operational Leasing and Țiriac Operating Lease. Since 2019, the company has raised EUR 128 million through four bond issues listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB), one of which has already been repaid. It also has a syndicated loan of EUR 300 million. In the first half of the year, revenue increased by 18.8%.
Autonom is the largest independent Romanian-owned player in the country’s operational leasing and car rental markets. Founded in 2006 in Piatra Neamț, the company offers mobility and financing solutions through a national network of more than 50 agencies in 38 cities and operates a fleet of over 18,000 vehicles.
Business Lease Romania has provided operational leasing and fleet management services on the local market since 2014. It is part of Business Lease BV, which belongs to the AutoBinck Group. Its portfolio includes full-service operational leasing, fleet management and consulting, short- and medium-term car rentals, and used-vehicle sales.