10 auto finance executives to watch in 2026

The auto finance industry has experienced diverse challenges this year including turbulent sales, shifting consumer demands , rising fraud , unex pected surges in cost and affordability , and shifting regulation s . Despite these headwinds, auto finance leaders are leaning into technology to better support customers and dealers, as well as developing stronger dealer relationships. Auto Finance News is pleased to name 10 auto finance executives to watch in 2026 who are leading their teams through uncertain times with team-driven focus, innovative leadership styles and the flexibility to adapt to new industry norms. Jeff Butler, president, AutoNation Finance AutoNation Finance in 2025 has experienced significant growth in its portfolio, penetration and originations, led by Jeff Butler , president of AutoNation Finance since 2017. With more than 25 years of consumer lending experience, Butler served at CIG Financial prior to its acquisition by AutoNation. He also was a sales leader at AmeriCredit , now GM Financial . [caption id="attachment_57332578" align="alignleft" width="200"] Jeff Butler[/caption] AutoNation’s growth is evidenced by an 85.7% jump in originations from January through the end of the third quarter to $1.3 billion, according to an Oct. 23 earnings presentation. Its portfolio grew to more than $2 billion, up from $942 million during the same period in 2024. The captive’s penetration rate climbed 3 percentage points year over year to 10%, and its finance and insurance revenue also saw an uptick of 11.8% YoY to $374.8 million. “The position that we've taken within our network of stores [is] ultimately how we can deliver greater efficiency and optimize the other lending partnerships that we have,” Butler said recently during a panel at Auto Finance Summit 2025. Jim Drotman, president and CEO, Hyundai Capital America Jim Drotman was named chief executive of Hyundai Capital America (HCA) in June, after 32 years at Ford , most recently as Ford Credit China ’s chief transformation officer and chairman. HCA has leaned into innovation, portfolio diversification and product diversification to drive growth in recent years. [caption id="attachment_81717" align="alignright" width="200"] Jim Drotman[/caption] In July, Hyundai Motor America reached its highest sales for the month, up 14.9% YoY to 79,543 vehicles, on the heels of incentive programs, according to an Aug. 1 company release. The captive launched an insurance offering , powered by insurance provider Root , in April in a step toward addressing affordability concerns and accessibility for consumers. According to the latest Big Wheels Rankings data , HCA was the eighth-largest lender by outstandings at yearend 2024 with a portfolio of $66 billion. Annie Fallows, EVP and head of Navigator Platform, Capital One Annie Fallows expanded her role to executive vice president at Capital One in July and has been head of the bank’s Navigator Platform since 2022. She has more than 23 years of experience in the financial industry, including 10 at Capital One. She previously held leadership roles at HCA and McKinsey . The bank’s auto originations jumped 17.2% YoY to $10.7 billion in Q3, according to its Oct. 21 earnings supplement. Capital One’s auto outstandings came in at $82.3 billion, up 8.7% YoY. [caption id="attachment_58351116" align="alignleft" width="240"] Annie Fallows[/caption] Capital One has leaned into technology and AI to improve customer experience with its launch this year of Chat Concierge , which helps customers compare vehicles and financing options. In the challenging auto finance environment, Capital O ne is working with dealers to maximize market opportunities, Fallows said at Auto Finance Summit 2025. “We've been working closely with our dealer partners on solutions for them that they can use, whether that's being on Auto Navigator or enabling them to leverage our technology to drive those amazing [sales] conversions so that they can help be successful in this market,” she said. At yearend 2024, Capital One Auto was the fifth-largest lender by outstandings, according to the latest Big Wheels ranking data. Ravi Gandhi, chief strategy officer, Veros Credit Ravi Ghandi , named chief strategy officer at Veros Credit in May, has spent more than three decades in the finance industry. As CSO at Veros, he plans to help the company grow faster than it has in the past, he previously told AFN . [caption id="attachment_58351906" align="alignright" width="195"] Ravi Gandhi[/caption] Santa Ana, Calif.-based Veros in April announced funding from trading and investment firm Itochu International to help with expansion and improve its technology. Veros Credit’s portfolio stood at $620.2 million as of March 31; the company is active in 27 states with 2,827 dealers, according to a May 28 Kroll Bond Rating Agency presale report of the lender’s $238 million subprime auto securitization issued May 21. The lender’s loans range from $10,000 to $35,000. Casey Gunnell Jr., president, Southeast Toyota Finance Casey Gunnell Jr. was named president of Southeast Toyota Finance in April. SET Finance is the captive for Toyota dealers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Under Gunnell’s leadership, it has focused on improving customer service, advancing technology investments and leaning into digital retail. [caption id="attachment_58356854" align="alignleft" width="248"] Casey Gunnell Jr.[/caption] In fact, SET Finance received the 13th-highest ranking on the overall customer satisfaction index in J.D. Power ’s 2025 U.S. Automotive Financing Satisfaction Study, published Nov. 13. The study is based on responses from more than 13,000 consumers who financed a new or used vehicle through a loan or lease within the past three years and was conducted from September 2024 through September 2025. In August, SET Finance was also ranked highest in overall dealer satisfaction among captive, mass-market prime lenders based on responses from more than 5,000 dealer finance leaders, according to J.D. Power. SET was followed by Subaru Motors Finance and Honda Financial Services . Gunnell Jr. most recently was group vice president at SET Finance, a subsidiary of JM Family Enterprises , where he has served for more than 28 years. He succeeds Bill Shope , who retired in March after 35 years with SET Finance. The lender was the 22nd-largest auto lender by outstandings at yearend 2024 with a portfolio of $17 billion, according to the latest Big Wheels Rankings data . Ole Jensen, CEO, BMW Group Financial Services Ole Jensen in August became CEO at BMW Group Financial Services in the U.S., and also was named head of BMW Financial for the Americas. [caption id="attachment_58352651" align="alignright" width="169"] Ole Jensen[/caption] He has more than 12 years with the BMW brand, most recently as chief financial officer. BMW Financial in recent years has deployed AI to improve efficiency. The captive prioritized its use of data processing provider Celonis ’ AI technology and mining capabilities to help identify automation and digitalization opportunities in the business. BMW Financial was the 12th-largest auto lender by outstandings at yearend 2024 with a portfolio of $37.9 billion, according to the latest Big Wheels Rankings data. Cathy O'Callaghan, CEO, Ford Credit Ford Credit is leaning into technology to help manage shifting market dynamics in 2026. The captive is led by Cathy O'Callaghan , who has been CEO since February 2024, and has more than 28 years at the company. [caption id="attachment_58356856" align="alignleft" width="243"]<img class="wp-image-58356856" style="--tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000;" src="https://www.autofinancenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/image-1.png" alt="" width="243" height="243" /> Cathy O'Callaghan[/caption] Ford Credit’s lease share jumped 18% YoY in Q3. Ford Credit's outstandings for U.S. and Canada stood at $91.4 billion in Q3, up 3.8% YoY. Ford Credit is using AI to improve productivity and cut costs. For example, the captive uses large language tools to aggregate large data sets, a company representative told AFN . The captive is also focused on supporting dealers by helping them navigate market shifts and cost challenges such as inflation, vehicle prices and consumer affordability. Ford Credit was the sixth-largest lender by outstandings in 2024, according to the latest Big Wheels ranking data. Kevin Reen, head of auto, Wells Fargo Wells Fargo in June named Kevin Reen as head of auto following his two-year tenure as head of home lending. Wells was recently named the preferred financier for Volkswagen , a move that has helped the bank’s originations climb 114.6% YoY to $8.8 billion , according to the bank’s Oct. 14 Q3 supplement. Auto outstandings totaled $46 billion, up 7.5% YoY. [caption id="attachment_58356855" align="alignright" width="248"] Kevin Reen[/caption] Reen is a 20- year industry veteran who has served in several leadership roles at Wells in addition to posts at JP Morgan , where he w as chief credit and risk officer for the bank’s credit card business. Wells Fargo expects an increase in dealership real estate and acquisition financing in 2026. The bank's commercial auto commitments also are nearing $14 billion, up from about $13 billion a year ago. This is despite a slowdown in floorplan utilization rates in recent months amid tariffs. The bank is monitoring consumers closely, Reen said during a recent panel at Auto Finance Summit 2025, noting that it is “staying quite vigilant on the trends that we're seeing [and] the behaviors.” The bank is also keeping an eye on “inflation pressures from the [ Federal Reserve ] with the timing of potential rate reductions and how the consumer absorbs that,” he said. In 2024, Wells Fargo Auto was the 11th-largest lender by outstandings, according to Big Wheels latest ranking data. Susan Sheffield, CEO, GM Financial Susan Sheffield was promoted to CEO at GM Financial in April after eight years as chief financial officer. Sheffield has been with GM for more than two decades, previously serving as CFO and treasurer. She has also worked in commercial banking at JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo . [caption id="attachment_58349004" align="alignleft" width="242"] Susan Sheffield[/caption] General Motors' deliveries climbed 7.6% YoY in the third quarter to 710,000 deliveries, according to its Oct. 21 earnings presentation. EV sales also reached a record 67,000. GM Financial's loan and lease originations declined 3.5% YoY to $13.8 billion in Q3, according to its earnings release. To help support dealers, consumers and employees, GM Financial is deploying iterations of its AI tool specific to each user group. “Our floorplan relationships and supporting the dealers are fundamental to delivering on that captive value pillar that we have,” Sheffield said at Auto Finance Summit 2025. “The dealer services group and commercial lending group are very focused on how we can be proactive in helping dealers navigate changes in the market,” she said, citing the pandemic as an example. GM Financial's portfolio stood at $109.5 billion in Q3, up 3.9% YoY. The captive was the second-largest lender by outstandings in 2024, according to the latest Big Wheels ranking data. John Thacker, president of private label captive finance, Chase Auto John Thacker was named president of private label captive finance at Chase Auto in March, overseeing the long-standing relationship the company has with manufacturers. He manages relationships with automakers that enlist in private-label financing with Chase Auto such as Aston Martin , Jaguar Land Rover , Maserati , McLaren , Rivian and Subaru , according to a March 18 company release. [caption id="attachment_58349900" align="alignleft" width="300"] John Thacker[/caption] Thacker also leads Chase Auto’s Captive Plus strategy and works with the consumer banking, connected commerce and wealth management lines for JPMorgan Chase. An industry veteran with close to three decades in the financial services industry, he most recently was president and CEO at Yamaha Motor Finance U.S . Chase Auto has been insulating itself and dealers from market volatility by forming partnerships and developing policies and products to be cycle-resilient, Douglas Bauer , executive director of dealer services, said during a recent panel at Auto Finance Summit 2025. The lender’s originations climbed 20% YoY in the quarter to $12 billion. Chase Auto's outstandings in Q3 landed at $87.9 billion, up 3.6% YoY. At yearend 2024, the lender was the fourth-largest financier by outstandings, according to the latest ranking data from Big Wheels. -- Additional reporting by Aidan Bush and Amanda Harris

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