Wells Fargo Commercial Capital announced the realignment of its Canada-based equipment finance and asset-based lending (ABL) originations teams into a newly integrated business unit, harnessing the collective expertise to enhance the customer experience. Nicolas Lessard now heads the combined team, which expands his previous role leading Wells Fargo Equipment Finance’s manufacturing group in Canada.

Realigning in the integrated loan originations structure are:

• Pierre-Yves Morisset, Managing Director, Western Region and Corporate ABL in Ontario

• Lee Leblanc, Senior Vice President, Quebec and Maritimes

• Mohammad Badruddin, Vice President, Ontario

“As we celebrate 25 years of providing ABL financing to customers in Canada, we recognize an opportunity to bring together our ABL originations team and equipment finance territory managers operating in similar industry segments,” Lessard said. “Joining the skills and capabilities of these groups will help produce benefits for our customers and the organization, allowing us to deliver the right products and services for our customer needs, quickly and efficiently.”

Lessard joined Wells Fargo Equipment Finance as part of the bank’s GE Capital acquisition in 2016. During his 20-year tenure, Lessard has led commercial teams in various regions and industries. He earned a bachelor’s degree and an MBA in finance at Sherbrooke University, Quebec. Lessard also holds a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CGA) designation. He is based in Montreal.

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Morisset previously worked with Wells Fargo Capital Finance for more than seven years, covering Western Canada and Ontario for large ABL customers. Prior to Wells Fargo, Morisset was head of Corporate Accounts and Western Canada with Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce’s ABL group. His career began more than 20 years ago at GE Capital in Montreal. Morisset holds a master’s degree in finance from Laval University, Quebec City.

Leblanc joined Wells Fargo Capital Finance’s ABL Originations team, as part of the bank’s 2016 GE Capital acquisition. At GE Capital, he worked with the Corporate Finance group. Based in Montreal, Leblanc started his career at National Bank of Canada in 1999. Leblanc earned a bachelor’s degree from HEC Montreal, Quebec, and an MBA from Université du Québec à Montréal.

Based in Toronto, Badruddin joined Wells Fargo Capital Finance group in 2014, most recently serving as assistant vice president within the Originations Group. He previously spent four years in Royal Bank of Canada’s Commercial Banking Division in Toronto. He earned a master’s degree in international business from Smith School of Business, Queen’s University, and a bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Western Ontario. Badruddin also holds the CFA designation.

Wells Fargo is a leader in asset-based financing, offering agented and syndicated senior secured financing to middle-market companies and large corporations within the U.S., Canada and the U.K. The company provides financing alternatives for asset-rich companies looking to maximize their borrowing capacity. Wells Fargo also operates one of the largest bank-affiliated equipment leasing and finance businesses in the U.S. and Canada, providing equipment loans, leases, and customized financing services, plus inventory finance and syndication for many industries.