NETSOL Technologies this week announced an addition to its advisory board, getting set to welcome Richard Howard, who the business services solutions provider called a distinguished automotive executive with an extensive leadership track record at Daimler Financial Services.

According to a news release, Howard’s appointment is effective on June 1.

While Howard joins NETSOL as an advisory board member, the company said his involvement will go far beyond a traditional advisory role.

NETSOL indicted Howard will play an active part in shaping the corporate strategy, with a particular emphasis on accelerating growth in North America — one of NETSOL’s focus markets.

NETSOL said it expects that Howard’s insights will support the company in forging deeper OEM, dealership and captive partnerships, expanding market share and unlocking new opportunities for its Transcend Finance and Transcend Retail platforms, as the company continues towards its goal to lead the digital transformation of automotive finance and leasing and digital auto retail worldwide.

“Richard brings a level of caliber and executive stature that we value immensely,” said Najeeb Ghauri, founder and CEO of NETSOL Technologies. “His leadership experience and strategic mindset make him an exceptional addition to our advisory board as we navigate the next phase of growth. His unparalleled experience in global automotive finance and deep understanding of OEM and captive finance ecosystems align perfectly with NETSOL’s vision for the future.”

From 2021 to 2024, Howard served as president and CEO of Daimler Truck Financial Services USA, where he also held a seat on the global board of management, overseeing operations across North America and Asia.

In this role, Howard was instrumental in establishing and scaling Daimler Truck’s financial services arm post-spin-off, driving strategic growth, operational excellence and market expansion in two of the company’s most critical regions.

Prior to that position, Howard spent seven years as senior vice president of sales, product strategy and marketing at Daimler Truck North America, where he held global responsibility for the Freightliner Truck brand — the flagship of Daimler’s commercial vehicle portfolio. Leading a team of 900 people and overseeing revenues exceeding $20 billion, Howard transformed the brand’s go-to-market strategy and product roadmap across multiple continents.

Earlier in his career, he served as president and CEO of Daimler Financial Services Asia based in Singapore and as vice president at Daimler Financial Services Americas, where he led operations in both the United States and Latin America, driving sustainable growth and profitability across diverse markets.

“Richard and I began our journey decades ago at Mercedes-Benz Finance UK. Over the years, we have developed a great working relationship that has paid huge dividends to our respective organizations, as I look forward now to build upon that mutual trust and many successes,” said Naeem Ghauri, co-founder and president of NETSOL Technologies.

“As we continue expanding our footprint across key markets and revolutionizing the auto finance and digital auto retail landscapes, his insights will be invaluable in helping us sharpen our strategy, deepen OEM partnerships and accelerate innovation across our platform offerings,” Naeem Ghauri continued.

Howard offered these comments about his new endeavor.

“I’ve long admired NETSOL’s deep industry expertise, innovative spirit and its commitment to excellence in delivering world-class technology solutions,” Howard said. “The company’s leadership in digital transformation for automotive finance — especially its stronghold in APAC and growing momentum globally — is incredibly impressive.

“I look forward to contributing to NETSOL’s continued success as it empowers the world’s leading auto captives and financial institutions with smarter, more agile technology,” Howard went on to say.