Ateco boss Ric Hull has retired as managing director of Neville Crichton’s Australasian Ateco Group – with his replacement appointed from within.
Roger Zagorski, who currently runs Ateco’s finance operation, is the new appointee.
Hull will continue as a director of the automotive importer.
Zagorski joined Ateco in 2010 to set up and run the Ateco subsidiary Branded Financial Services, which is operational in Australia and New Zealand.
The company proved a major success for Ateco under Zagorski’s leadership, with a portfolio valued in excess of $150 million and more than 5,000 customers across Australia and New Zealand.
“This makes him the ideal choice to succeed Ric Hull, who not only brought in major new business opportunities for Ateco, such as Kia and our Chinese brands, but who has also given Ateco a sound organisational structure, enabling it to maximise business opportunities in the ever-changing automotive market,” says Crichton.
Ateco has built its reputation on successful introduction and management of automotive brands in New Zealand and Australia and, most recently, South Africa.
“Ric Hull has played a key role in the success of Ateco over the past 16 years,” says Crichton. “He transformed Kia sales from less than 5,000 units a year to more than 26,000 per annum. He steered Ateco as the first – and most successful – company to bring Chinese vehicles to New Zealand and Australia. I am especially pleased that he has agreed to continue as a director of the company. His advice and support will be invaluable to both Roger and me as we move forward.”
Zagorski entered the car industry in 1996 as part of the start-up team for Mercedes-Benz Finance Australia. In 2004, he moved to New Zealand to assume the role of managing director of DaimlerChrysler Financial Services and in 2007 he took on the responsibility for all aspects of the German company’s New Zealand operation as the managing director and executive general manager of Mercedes Benz New Zealand.
Polish-born Zagorski lives in Sydney with his wife and two teenage children.
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