LEASE Plan Group's holding company, Dutch-based ABN AMRO Lease Holding, saw net profit rise by more than 12% to NLG 132 million during 1996, on a portfolio which grew from NLG 8 billion to NLG 9.2 billion. Total assets increased to NLG 10.4 billion.

ABN AMRO Lease Group has operations in 17 European countries, the US, Australia and New Zealand and, at the end of 1996, had 345,000 vehicles under its management.

Managing director of Lease Plan UK Vahid Daemi said: '1996 was a very exciting year for the Group. We are looking forward to sustained growth in 1997 in both volume and geographical coverage.'