Marguerite Watanabe

Marguerite Watanabe, President of Connections Insights, has worked in the auto and automotive finance industry for over 35 years allowing her to truly understand its strengths, weaknesses and, most importantly, opportunities.

Marguerite has devoted much of her energy and efforts in sharing her expertise and connections based on her unique mix of experience in automotive manufacturing and sales, captive and non-prime auto financing, credit reporting, lead generation and consulting – as well as her international experience with companies in Asia, the United Kingdom, Europe and the Middle East.  Her company provides focused insights to its clients on where innovative product and service solutions can be implemented to improve business processes and shareholder value and makes connections that build the bridges between strategic business partners.

Prior to forming Connections Insights in 2006, Marguerite worked for Nissan North America and Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation in the USA and Japan, Equifax, BarNone and BenchMark Consulting International. She also spent four years living and working in Japan where she learned to speak Japanese and before this, at her university housing office counseling new students and parents.

Marguerite currently sits on the Advisory Boards for three companies: ParkMyFleet which is creating mobility hubs across the US to meet the varying needs of fleet and automobile companies and Lender Compliance Technologies (LCT), a provider of compliance solutions, including an F&I cancellation and refund tool, for vehicle lenders and Accelerate2Compliance provides security compliance solutions to automobile dealers. She has also sat on the Advisory Board and Boards of Directors for LenderAuto, Carsfast and the Nissan Federal Credit Union in the past.

As an involved industry contributor, Marguerite she serves on the American Financial Services Association (AFSA)’s Vehicle Finance Board, Education Foundation Board, Women’s Leadership Council and Business Partner Board and manages the Independent Auto Finance Executive Group and Commercial Credit Committee and sits on the Operations Regulatory Compliance Committee and the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.  She also sits on the National Auto Finance (NAF) Association Board of Directors and served as the Association’s President and Chairman.

Marguerite earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and her Masters of Business Administration from Pepperdine University.