This article was originally published in October 2017. It was one of the most read stories from last year so we’re bringing it to you again as part of the Summer Roundup.
– By Marc Sibbald –
I first remember meeting Jonathan Halliday in 2006 when I was working at Fleet Australia (now SG Fleet) and he was launching the VE Commodore hailed as the ‘Billion Dollar Baby’ by Holden because of the amount of money sunk into the development of this new model. At this stage he had been at Holden since 1999.
Now, after more than three decades of service in the fleet industry Jonathan has hung up the keys; and as of last week is officially retired.
There was a definite style to his presentation that captivated the audience that day in 2006. And an honesty and openness that matched his personality.
Based on his relationship with my colleagues he was obviously well known, or maybe even slightly important, so I was intrigued enough to find out more about the man who thought the best new feature on the VE Commodore was the sizeable cavity in the driver’s door that could hold a wine bottle.
Before joining Holden Jonathan worked at Dasfleet (remember them) as the National Acquisitions and Disposal Manager splitting his time between Sydney and Canberra. And I think it all started in the fleet industry at Fleet Care Services (the old TNT Fleet management sold to the CBA) as Sales and Marketing Manager.
During his time at Holden Jonathan spent a number of years in different fleet roles including stints as the NSW Fleet Manager and Fleet Sales Manager. He was transferred to General Motors Asia Pacific as the Fleet Manager Asia Pacific and travelled around India, China and Korea working with the local offices (and sampling some local wines as well). When GM went into Chapter 11 the global junket ended and he found himself back at Holden.
In a moment of weakness, he moved to Volvo for a very short while which, in his own words, was a bad decision. Though thanks to his solid reputation in fleet, and extensive network, Holden took him back in June of 2015 and he has worked in NSW Fleet until his retirement last Friday.
Derrick Ginger is someone that has worked with Johnathan and known him longer than me. He says, “Jonathan has had a distinguished and colourful career. His engaging nature and sense of humour will be solely missed by his amazing network of business associates and friends. I wish him all the very best health as he enjoys a long and fulfilling retirement”.
Matthew Prestney, Director at Plumfleet, met Jonathan his first time at Holden. “I first met Jonathan in 2005 when I commenced with General Motors Holden in the Fleet Department and it became immediately evident that I was working someone different to the standard fleet operator. Jonathan was ‘connected’ to his customers and prospects at a different level. His industry contacts were more than just customers and the like, they were his friends and he treated them as such” remembers Prestney.
“Jonathan always had, and I suspect will continue to have, a deep respect for the automotive industry. Cars are not commodities to Jonathan, and customer relationships are not taken lightly by him, he sees the value in the long-term approach to building and maintaining industry relationships”.
In 2017 when people prattle on about the importance of networks for a successful career I cannot even find a profile on LinkedIn for a man that can get MDs, CEOs and Fleet Managers to join him for lunch whenever he calls.
So Jonathan’s retirement is not farewell, only a standing invitation for lunch.
