Clear Asset Finance (Clear) was launched this March with an expressed mandate to become a trail setter of innovation for the broking intermediary sector.

To further this aim it has recruited Chris Barker to head up its Renewable Energy (RE) department.

Barker told Asset Finance International that his task is to provide sales aid facilities to suppliers and point of sale vendors in the RE sectors.

Barker, who earlier worked with the current directors of Clear in the asset finance sector, comes with a masters-level qualification in climate change and sustainable development – specializing in RE and its application to improve energy efficiency in buildings. From 2007 to August 2011 he worked at an Australian university in Vietnam responsible for delivering sustainability-related courses and managing cutting-edge executive training programs. In a research capacity he helped the Green Building Council to launch a bespoke green building standards rating tool to aid its climate change mitigation and national energy crisis.

He will be spearheading Clear’s new business drive in the Solar Photovoltaic and Thermal, Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps, Small Scale Hydro, Micro Wind, Biomass and Micro-CHP markets -  together with energy efficient technologies such as Voltage Optimization Systems and LED lighting.

“It is noticeable,” he said, “that most RE asset vendors are able to sell the benefits of their green products – but are not so adept at selling the benefits of leasing. We will be addressing this – and making available training sessions to improve the effective leasing skill sets of sales staff.”

Steve Green, one of Clear’s sales directors added that he was delighted that Barker was joining the company – a move that emphasizes the company’s commitment to sourcing asset funding  for the RE sectors.

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