Calling time with marque

Debbie Pattullo is leaving Toyota New Zealand after a 30-year career with the company. 

The general manager of people and sustainability has worked in many departments, including marketing, Lexus and business support.

Pattullo, pictured, was promoted to general manager of customer, people and business support in June 2018 and transitioned to her current role in 2021. 

She was also a member of the Massey Business School’s advisory board and has completed the chartered director programme run by the Institute of Directors.

Neeraj Lala, chief executive officer of Toyota NZ, says: “Debbie has been able to grow a fantastic career and experience a wide range of roles and responsibilities while staying in the Toyota family, which we really encourage and value for all staff.

“She has been a great asset to the executive team. We are going to miss her energy and passion.”

“The experiences I’ve had at Toyota have been irreplaceable,” says Pattullo. “I’ve had the opportunity to work on some amazing projects and portfolios, and with awesome teams. I’m sad to be leaving, but excited for this next step in my career.”

Pattullo supported the transformation of the company from a dealership to an agency model, known as the Drive Happy Project. She was responsible for implementing a change-management programme and the resulting development for store staff across the country to adapt to their new roles.

Through strong communication with staff, as New Zealand navigated Covid-19 and remote work, Pattullo also ensured that a culture of health, safety and wellbeing remained paramount in the company.