“I learn a lot more about this industry every day” || Cynthia Caine, Head of Commercial Auto, Wells Fargo

To say that Cynthia Caine has a keen mind for finance is an understatement. She has spent her whole career in this field, serving both the automotive industry and a diverse range of other clients. She joined Wells Fargo in 2016, where she led efforts to retain and grow manufacturer programs in the Distribution Finance division, eventually taking over as the head of a 200-person Commercial Auto team. Her division now manages over 750 franchised auto dealership clients.

On this episode, Cynthia discusses the reason that lending to photocopier dealers is not very different from taking on automotive clients, the ways in which Wells Fargo has shifted gears over the past two years, and why - and when - she believes the current inventory shortage will turn around in a big way. Plus, she discusses why interest rates may seem much higher than they actually are, the ways in which statistics bear out a major drop in leasing, the unusual feature of her first car, and more.

Cynthia Caine | Wells Fargo Commercial Auto

Episode Highlights:

• The one trend in the auto business that has been on the lips of Cynthia and her colleagues
• What consumer behavior modeling has to say about the post-COVID, post-shortage future of automotive
• What the tipping point will be for EVs to become more widespread and, eventually, a majority of vehicles
• The ways in which OEMs are currently hedging their bets

“I think some people that were waiting by the sidelines last year, and were maybe inquisitive about acquiring, are now looking at all their cash… you’ve kind of got the next set of buyers and the next set of sellers.” 

— Cynthia Caine

|| Dealer News Today is a DCG Media production