Meet the Team
Eagers Automotive has a team of dedicated individuals working across the business to support operations.
For any Group-level enquiries please reach out to the relevant team member listed below.
Alternatively, please call 09 571 6100 and we'll be happy to direct your enquiry to the most appropriate person in the Group.
- Eagers Automotive Corporate Team
- Eagers Automotive Dealer Principals
- Group Wholesale Team
Eagers Automotive Corporate Team
Mike Critchley
Country General Manager
09 376 9829
Name: Mike Critchley
Nickname: Critch
Eagers Automotive Start Date: January 1998
What customer service means to me:
For me great service is about consistency and delivering an exceptional experience. That means establishing what is most important to the customer, being a solution provider and working with our guest to evaluate their wants, needs and expectations. You need to be a great listener and a product specialist, while always ensuring your follow up is prompt. Importantly, you must always do what you say you will do - it’s about making the purchase experience easy and fun.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Enjoying a good Central Otago Pinot Noir or Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Nikola Tesla – One of the Great Minds of the 19th / 20th Century, it would be a fascinating conversation around his theory of global wireless energy.
If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be? Cool
Change by the Little River Band
Ian Till
NZ Financial Controller
Name: Ian Till
Nickname: Maverick
Eagers Automotive Start Date: November 2018
What customer service means to me:
Exceptional customer service in my mind is creating a memorable experience through customer engagement, making it easy to do business with us, creating moments of surprise and delight, delivering the unexpected, and consistently exceeding customer expectations.
What’s your hidden talent?
I’m a man of many talents!
What’s something that most people wouldn’t know about you?
Although I’m not fond of heights, in a past life I have moonlighted as a pilot and spent time training pilots in aerobatics
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Modifying cars when I have spare time to myself
If your next birthday party had a dress up theme, what would it be and why?
Probably Paw Patrol and pinatas (I have small children…)
Debbie Reyland
People & Safety Manager
09 571 6115
Name: Debbie Reyland
Nickname: Deb
Eagers Automotive Start Date: April 2018
What customer service means to me:
Going above and beyond to keep the customer happy and having fun along the journey
What’s your hidden talent?
WOO – Winning Others Over. Not only am I rarely at a loss for words; I actually enjoy initiating with strangers because I derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection. Once that connection is made, I am quite happy to wrap it up and move on. There are new people to meet, new rooms to work, new crowds to mingle in.
If you were in charge of the dealership’s music, what would be playing?
Any Pink Floyd songs especially “A Momentary Lapse of Reason”
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Karaoke
If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The Bond Theme song – James and I go way back!
David Dawes
Name: David Dawes
Nickname: Dawsey
Eagers Automotive Start Date: October 2019
What customer service means to me:
Customer service means everything from cradle to grave and everything in-between! Every interaction, every day, there's always a customer at the end of it so you need to be on top of your game at all times and with a smile on your dial!
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Timtams - open the packet, eat them all, throw packet away..
If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd. Old man music as my kids say!
If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
One of the Queen's Corgi's, what a life! Or a goldfish because if you stuff up, you'd have forgotten about it 10 seconds later.
Sara Blote
Name: Sara Blote
Nickname: "P"
Eagers Automotive Start Date: January 2016
What customer service means to me:
A friendly welcome, a warm smile and an overall interaction that builds great rapport and the start of a positive relationship. Identifying the type of interaction a customer is looking for is important as a first step; not everyone responds to the same style or approach and we need to respect that and adapt.
What’s your hidden talent?
I’m not sure whether it’s a talent as such, but I can pull together a pretty amazing grazing platter. Too pretty to eat… almost!
What would your autobiography be called?
Though she be but little she is fierce
If you were in charge of the dealership’s music, what would be playing?
Usually an eclectic mix of Spotify playlists depending on my mood, or big room trance and EDM bangers that have me reminiscing of summer in Europe!
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Lollies; they’re my kryptonite. Don’t leave an open packet near me, I can’t be trusted!
If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
A loved cat or dog, more specifically, my cat and dog - what a life they lead! Eat, sleep, play, repeat... not to mention all of the cuddles. Happy days!
Aaron MacDonald
Group Fixed Operations Manager
021 882 717
Name: Aaron McDonald
Nickname: Macca, A A RON, On Mobile
Eagers Automotive Start Date: December 2003
What customer service means to me: Everything
If you were in charge of the dealership’s music, what would be playing?
Barry White
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Rabbit Ranch Pinot Noir & Whittakers almond chocolate
If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why?
That’s easy it would be a group dinner - Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods, Kelly Slater, Roger Federer – The G.O.A.T.S – Imagine what the group conversation would be like, especially with Tiger and Lance.
If you could time travel, when and where would you go?
10th April 2005 – behind the 16th green at the US Masters to witness the biggest roar from a crowd in golf watching Tiger Woods miracle chip in.
What fictional character would you most like to meet?
Batman – how cool would it be to cruise with him in his car
Chris Churchward
Name: Chris Churchward
Nickname: Churchie
Eagers Automotive Start Date: 1st of July 2020
What customer service means to me:
To me it's not just about customer service, it is what I can do to make a difference in peoples' lives. We don't sell cars, we provide an opportunity to create a lifestyle. The purchase of a car means mum and dad can get to work to provide for their families, or to go visit nana and pop, get to sport or school, go on holiday, visit our loved or take them to an appointment - essentially to stay connected across all of the journeys we have in life. It gives me a huge sense of pride that we as a company provide and give families, friends, and colleagues the means to stay independent and connected.
What’s your hidden talent?
I am a chef by trade.
What would your autobiography be called?
The life and times of Fabian Carmichael.
If you could time travel, when and where would you go?
1920s Chicago - the music, the dancing, hard times but good times.
Eagers Automotive Dealer Principals
Blair Cording
Name: Blair Cording
Nickname: Bunga
Eagers Automotive Start Date: June 2022
What customer service means to me:
consistently exceeding customer expectations and going out of your way to help people solve their problems.
If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Anything from U2
What superpower would you most like to have any why?
Invisibility……..wouldn’t you?
If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Michael Jordan, extremely talented athlete who failed and fell short multiple times in his career but showed adversity, stamina and determination to be the best in his field.
What would your pet say about you if we asked for a reference?
He’s provided and given the best life possible, so I don’t want any more siblings 😊
What’s your hidden talent?
Street limbo Champion 3 years running !!
Christo Bannink
Name: Christo Bannink
Eagers Automotive Start Date: January 2018
What customer service means to me:
Making the customer feel appreciated and valued.
What’s something that most people wouldn’t know about you?
I have a very short temper and two little Chihuahua’s
If you were in charge of the dealership’s music, what would be playing?
Guns and Roses
What would your pet say about you if we asked for a reference?
“My daddy is an amazing human; rubs my belly, gives me treats and allows me to lick him like an ice cream”
If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
I would like to be a Chihuahua so I can get my belly rubbed, been given treats and lick my owner like an ice cream!
If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Eye of the tiger
What superpower would you most like to have any why?
Wolverine claws, I will leave that to your imagination… there may be salesman involved!
Derrick Van Den Berg
Name: Derrick van den Berg
Nickname: Berg or Deeda by my children
Eagers Automotive Start Date: June 2018
What customer service means to me:
Customer service is an experience. It’s about creating a lasting impression or experience that will stay with the customer for years to come. Vehicles have long been linked with emotion – Excellent customer service is about maximising the positive emotions and feelings the arise from the vehicle purchase and service experience.
If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Jimi Hendrix – Voodoo Chile “I stand up next to a mountain, and I chop it down with the edge of my hand’ to me this says that your only limitation in life is how far you can stretch your imagination.
What would your pet say about you if we ask for a reference?
We have a Ragdoll cat. If asked for a reference, she’d likely note that I talk to her like she’s a human, disturb her sleep for pats too often and spend a lot of time trying to get her to chase her toy mouse. She’ll also state that I spend a lot of time carrying her around despite being perfectly capable herself.
What’s your hidden talent?
I spent a lot of my life playing music be it Guitar or Drums. To unwind I spend my time playing blues guitar improvisation and riffing over quality music from all decades.
Group Wholesale Team
Chris Churchward
Name: Chris Churchward
Nickname: Churchie
Eagers Automotive Start Date: 1st of July 2020
What customer service means to me:
To me it's not just about customer service, it is what I can do to make a difference in peoples' lives. We don't sell cars, we provide an opportunity to create a lifestyle. The purchase of a car means mum and dad can get to work to provide for their families, or to go visit nana and pop, get to sport or school, go on holiday, visit our loved or take them to an appointment - essentially to stay connected across all of the journeys we have in life. It gives me a huge sense of pride that we as a company provide and give families, friends, and colleagues the means to stay independent and connected.
What’s your hidden talent?
I am a chef by trade.
What would your autobiography be called?
The life and times of Fabian Carmichael.
If you could time travel, when and where would you go?
1920s Chicago - the music, the dancing, hard times but good times.
Anthony Smith
Name: Steve Fraser
Eagers Automotive Start Date: July 2007
What customer service means to me:
Making everything we do easy for our customers. Looking at our business through the customers eyes and ensure the way we do things is for the customers benefit. Not ours!
Why choose Ford?
Because it’s an iconic brand that has gone through highs and lows in the past 110 years and continues to thrive and reinvent itself. Ford produces emotive and exciting cars that people want to own and be seen in. Without the price tag of more upmarket brands.
What’s something that most people wouldn’t know about you?
I lived and worked in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands for 12 years. An adventurous and exiting period.
If you were in charge of the dealership’s music, what would be playing?
A mix of everything, from Classic 60’s through to techno, punk, heavy metal, jazz and opera. Music is the spice of life. It affects your mood and sense of wellbeing. Everyone has different tastes and perceptions. So the more variety the better!
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Sitting at an outside bar or café somewhere in Europe with a beer in hand, and watching the world go by.
If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Paul McCartney and John Lennon, because in the early sixties their music was pure genius. While they had enormous talent, their true skill was their dedication, energy, enthusiasm and sheer hard work. It would be enjoyable learning what motivated and inspired them.
What would your pet say about you if we asked for a reference?
A considerate human, that ensures wants and needs are met!
Noah Abbott
Group Wholesale Support
021 342 194
Name: Julian Stone
Nickname: Stoney
AHG Start Date: Sept 2020
What customer service means to me:
Treat the customer as you would wish to be treated in the same situation.
What’s your hidden talent?
Juggling
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Tempura prawns
If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The river by Bruce Springsteen
What would your pet say about you if we ask for a reference?
Gives good hugs.
If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
My dog, life is good.
Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck, or 100 duck-sized horses?
One horse sized duck.
