Giltrap appoints new retail boss

The Giltrap Group has appointed Dane Fisher as chief executive officer for retail and mobility, and he will also continue to lead the company’s premium rental and subscription business, Sixt.

He takes over his new position from Michael Giltrap, whom he will report to as joint managing director alongside Richard Giltrap.

Fisher, pictured, says he feels “privileged and honoured” to be given the opportunity to lead the retail part of the group. 

He adds there have been significant changes to the market and vows to embrace a customer-driven strategy to help meet the needs of the modern consumer.

Michael Giltrap says: “Fisher is a proven high-performer and leader who is passionate about cars and the automotive industry. A key driver for the board is his determination to help make Giltrap Group the best automotive retailer and distributor in the world.”

Fisher’s connection with the group began in 1993 when, as a 13-year-old, he met the company’s founder Sir Colin Giltrap while his father was buying a car. 

Sir Colin overheard the teenager talking about the features of different cars and told him to call him when he was ready for a job.

Four years later, he started at Giltrap Group as a part-time groomer and parts-van driver. Fisher’s post-graduate roles included brand manager for Porsche and general manager of Audi New Zealand.

He went on to spend two years in management roles at Lamborghini in Italy before joining Infiniti, the luxury division of Nissan, in 2014 where he was managing director of Asia and Oceania and then general manager of global business transformation and brand.

When Fisher moved back to Auckland in 2019, he rejoined the Giltrap Group as general manager of business development and two years later took on the chief executive role at Sixt.