Neville Crichton Honoured by the Queen

Neville Crichton Honoured by the Queen

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has honoured New Zealand Sports and Businessman Neville Crichton as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for his services to yachting and business in the Queen’s Birthday Honours announced today (4 June 2012).

“I am extremely proud to receive this honour,” says Neville Crichton “It is a privilege to have one’s work and sporting endeavours recognised by the wider community.”

Neville Crichton’s contribution to yachting is both in terms of sport and business as he has matched his success in blue water ocean racing – 174 race wins to date – with playing a central role in developing and growing New Zealand’s super yacht construction industry, which now has a global reputation and is a significant part of the New Zealand economy. At the helm of some of the most successful racing yachts in the world, Neville Crichton has carried the New Zealand flag to victory in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the Fastnet, the Giraglia, the Transpac and the Middle Sea Race amongst his many victories. Neville Crichton has also helped train and support many young aspiring new Zealand sailors who have gone on to win around the world.

At the same time Neville Crichton has created New Zealand and Australia’s largest independent car and commercial vehicle importer which is responsible for industry legends Ferrari and Maserati, as well as providing the New Zealand market with its first access to Chinese branded vehicles with Chery and Great Wall and distributing Citroen and, in Australia, Lotus. Operating on both sides of the Tasman, his company has an enviable reputation for developing and growing a wide range of car brands into thriving businesses.

(ENDS)

NEVILLE CRICHTON CNZM
Executive Chairman
The Ateco Automotive Group

Neville Crichton’s business and sporting careers are unique, with the New Zealand-born businessman developing and growing Ateco Automotive into the largest independent locally owned car importer and, at the same time, carving a sporting career first as a car racing driver and then as an internationally renowned ocean racing yachtsman.

Neville Crichton began his business life in New Zealand, working first with Ford before moving to the USA where his retail and wholesale interests included Ferrari, Mazda, Volkswagen, Audi and Rolls Royce. In 1985 he took over Ateco, a small general engineering and import business, and has, over the intervening years made it into the company of choice for car makers wishing to grow and develop their Australian and New Zealand businesses. Brands that have sought Ateco’s resources and skills in past have included Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Suzuki, Volkswagen, Audi and Kia. Under Ateco and its sister company, European Automotive Imports’ wing now are a unique range of brands, from the supercar exotic brands, Ferrari and Maserati, through the premium brands Citroen and Lotus, to Neville Crichton’s newest challenge – introducing the New Zealand and Australian car market for the first time to Chinese brands, first Great Wall in 2010 and, in 2011, Chery.

Based in a brand new $38 million facility in Sydney, The Ateco Group oversees the distribution of Ferrari, Maserati, Chery, Great Wall and Citroen throughout Australia and New Zealand. Its Equipment Division distributes WARN off road equipment and RidePRO suspension, while the company also is the retail supplier for Ferrari and Maserati in New South Wales and a property division is responsible for a range of commercial and retail buildings.

Neville Crichton has also played a central and decisive role in creating New Zealand’s super yacht construction industry which, through his foresight and expertise has grown from literally nothing to a billion dollar business that enjoys a worldwide reputation for design, quality and technology

Alongside his impressive business career, Neville Crichton has also enjoyed considerable sporting success. This started as a car racing driver in Australia, New Zealand and Europe, but his real passion is ocean racing and with three generations of yacht carrying the ‘Alfa Romeo’ name, as part of sponsorship programme in Europe, he won 174 ocean yacht races in Europe, America and Australia including the Rolex Sydney Hobart, the Rolex Fastnet, the TransPac and every title that was available in the Rolex Giraglia Trophy in just seven years.

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