At FTT Lending this past March, we sat down with Ylva Oertengren, COO and Co-Founder of Simply Asset Finance to talk about SMEs. Over the past nine years, Simply has lent more than £2 billion to SMEs across the UK, building flexible, tech-enabled platforms along the way. But at the heart of it, Simply Asset Finance’s focus remains clear: technology should support better relationships, not replace them.

That is reflected in how Simply approaches automation. It’s not about choosing between digital or human, it is about using both in the right moments. Technology helps remove unnecessary friction and speed up the process, while human interaction remains essential when customers need reassurance or a broader perspective. SME owners don’t all want the same experience, and designing for that flexibility is the key of getting it right.

Looking ahead, AI is set to play a role in shaping the future of lending, but only if it’s built on solid foundations. As Ylva put it “if you put AI over a mess, you’ll get an even bigger mess”. For lenders, that means focusing on data quality and being willing to rethink how models are designed.

Want to hear more from Ylva? Watch the full video:

If AI in financial services is on your agenda, don’t miss FTT AI Transformation on 25 June.