Our People

Culture and Communications

Over the years the Company has developed a strong service orientated culture and the front line Customer Service Officers (CSOs) are passionate about working in the best interest of the customers.

In-house training and mentoring have ensured this culture has remained intact and when added to a little healthy inter-branch competition is one of Instant Finance’s greatest strengths.

A formal reporting structure is in place and includes regular management and staff meetings.

Regular branch functions and social events are held throughout the year and the commitment to a strong team ethic is underpinned by regular team building activity.

Our Management Team

Richard de Lautour Chief Executive

Richard was appointed Chief Executive in January 2003 having completed 20 years service with Allied Finance where he was General Manager for the majority of that time. Under his stewardship Allied grew from $400,000 in total assets in 1982 to $173 million in June 2000 when it was amalgamated with Marac Finance Limited. During his time with Allied he was responsible for the establishment of BMW Financial Services NZ Limited and Nissan Finance NZ Limited. Previous directorships include Auckland Motors Ltd, BMW Financial Services NZ Limited and Nissan Finance NZ Limited.

Richard served on the executive committee of the Financial Services Federation from 1993 to 1999 and was Chairman of that organisation from 1999 to 2002. He was re-elected back on to the executive in 2006 and served a further term as Chairman in the 2013 – 14 year before finally retiring from the executive committee in September 2016.

An active Rotarian, Richard is a member of the Rotary Club of Auckland and Chairman of the Rotary Club of Auckland Trustee Company Ltd.

Mary Gardiner Chief Financial Officer

Mary joined Instant Finance in April 2013. Mary has an extensive finance and audit background having worked with KPMG in Auckland, Dusseldorf and Sydney. On returning to NZ from Sydney, she joined Air New Zealand where she was Manager, Governance Risk, part of the Internal Audit and Risk team. More recently she was CFO at Radius Health Group and oversaw the sale of the various operating businesses.

Mary has an interest in sports governance and is Chair of Auckland Netball and a Director of Badminton NZ.

Grant Atkinson General Manager Operations

Grant joined Instant Finance in August 2011. Grant was previously at Marac Finance Limited for 14 years where he was responsible for the credit and risk management function in his role of General Manager Credit. In this role he developed and implemented Marac’s Risk Management Programme required under the Reserve Banks supervision of non-bank deposit takers.
Grant has a wealth of experience in loan approval and review and in building and managing successful teams and processes in the collections and recovery areas.

Adrian Hatt B.A. (Hons) Group Marketing Manager, MYHome Operations

Adrian joined Instant Finance in March 1996. Starting as a securities representative Adrian progressed through the business as a Branch and Regional Manager. Adrian has hands on experience including a vast knowledge of the business and its customers that has been built up over the years. Adrian is currently Operations Manager for MYHome and is the Group’s Marketing Manager.

Louise Minett Investment Manager

Louise joined Instant Finance in October 2003 with twenty seven years finance industry experience. Of this total, twenty five years was with Allied Finance Limited where from 1992 until 2002 she was responsible for the administration of the debenture portfolio.
As Instant Finance’s Investment Manager, Louise is responsible for all investor activity and relationships.

Maureen Parkinson MMgt Human Resources Manager

Maureen joined Instant Finance in November 2010 following a period contracting to various small businesses. Prior to that she spent 22 years in the dietary supplement industry rising from Secretary to General Manager Human Resources and completing her Master of Management degree along the way. Maureen is a member of HRINZ (Human Resources Institute of NZ).

Mareta Garner Branch Operations Manager Auckland Central/West

Mareta is one of Instant Finance’s longest serving employees having joined the company in 1986 as a Customer Services Officer. Over this time Mareta has been instrumental in the identification, start up and development of many new branches in our growing network. Mareta’s current operational responsibilities include 4 of the 10 Auckland branches currently serving the greater Auckland area.

Damion Kaukau Branch Operations Manager Auckland South

Damion has recently joined the company bringing with him extensive experience in retail management within the finance sector. Damion’s operational philosophy is heavily customer-centric and this fits exactly within Instant’s strategy of putting the customer at the heart of everything we do.

Sharyn Wesley Area Manager – Wellington

Sharyn joined Instant Finance as a mobile lender attached to the Hamilton branch in April 2001. Sharyn had just returned from the UK and, looking to re-establish herself in New Zealand quickly moved up to the position of branch Manager (Hamilton).
In 2003 Sharyn was instrumental in the setting up and development of a new branch in Rotorua and eventually took over the Regional Management role for Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
January 2006 saw Sharyn transfer to Wellington after the purchase of Central Pacific Finance in order to set up the Wellington operation of Instant Finance where she remains today as Area Manager (Wellington) with responsibility for the three branches situated in the capital.

Justin Sims Area Manager – Northland

Justin joined Instant Finance in 1998 bringing 10 years of financial services and mortgage experience gained through the New Zealand banking industry.
Initially starting as Assistant Manager in the Whangarei branch Justin took over the reins in 2002 as Branch Manager. By 2004 Justin had established a second Northland branch in Kaikohe and became Northland Area Manager.

Karen Black – Area Manager South Island

Karen joined the company in 2010 as it expanded into Christchurch and the South Island. Karen as Area Manager -South Island brings a wealth of local knowledge to the role.

Martin Hogan Area Manager – Central North Island

Martin is Instant Finance’s newest member of the senior management team joining them in November 2012 and is responsible for the Central North Island Area. Since arriving from the UK, Martin has been working as an Authorised Financial Adviser in the insurance and investment industry, offering advice and financial planning in the private sector. Previous to that, Martin spent 19 years in the UK working for the country’s largest weekly collected credit company Provident Personal Credit.