Following Ateco’s appointment as Maserati distributor for Australia and New Zealand in May 2005, Ed Butler was appointed General Manager in July of the same year. During his period at the helm of Maserati he has overseen a more than 100 per cent growth in Maserati in Australia and New Zealand a complete revitalization of its dealer group. A few weeks ago of David Stone was in the thick of the action racing a 1984 Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0 litre at Bathurst in the Festival of Sports Cars. The car is owned by John Milan. David is a true Alfa Romeo enthusiast and has two GTVs of his own, one of which he is rebuilding as a road car (above), the other as a racing car.

Australian Italian car brand importer Ateco Automotive has restructured the senior management team responsible for Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Maserati as it expands its presence across Australia and sales continue to grow.

Edward Butler is now appointed to the position of General Manager for Fiat Cars in Australia, adding responsibility for the burgeoning small car brand to his current role of General Manager of Maserati in Australia and New Zealand. Assisting him is Ross Meyer who was previously Marketing Manager for Fiat Cars and Alfa Romeo but has relinquised his duties at Alfa Romeo to become General Sales and Marketing Manager at Fiat Cars.

Previously, responsibility for Fiat Cars in Australia rested with Alfa Romeo Australia General Manager David Stone. Mr Stone is now purely responsible for Alfa Romeo Australia as it prepares to introduce a series of new models, starting with the Mi.To in the second quarter of 2009.

Alfa Romeo Marketing Manager Kylie Stephen has been promoted to National Marketing Manager, filling the slot left vacant my Russ Meyer. At Fiat Commercial Vehicles Chris Swann has resigned his post as General Manager and Ateco is believed to be on the verge of announcing a replacement.

David Stone

David Stone first joined Ateco Automotive as Audi Sales and Marketing Manager in 1989 and then returned in 2000 as Group Dealer Development Manager. His main task initially was to grow and develop the Kia dealer group in a preparation for the six fold increase in sales that followed. He left Ateco in 2002 to take up the role of Queensland State Manager for Toyota and then NSW State Manager.

Prior to joining Ateco for the second time, David was Dealer Development Manager, at Daewoo Automotive Australia, where he honed his skills as one of the industry’s most respected network development managers. Before that he fulfilled the same role at Astre Automotive, the Australian importer of Hyundai and Chrysler Jeep.

David started his third stint at Ateco in July 2005 as General Manager for Alfa Romeo and he has overseen a near-complete renewal of the Alfa Romeo range. He re-launched Fiat in Australia in June 2006 following the first Australian viewing of the Fiat Punto at that year’s Melbourne Motor Show.

Edward Butler

Ed Butler joined Ateco as Kia National Sales Manager in April 2003 from GM de Mexico, where he had successfully relaunched Saab on the Mexican market. UK-born Mr Butler worked for General Motors Korea with the Cadillac and Saab brands.

This role also included development of the first GM “Premium Retail Environment” in the Asia Pacific Region. Prior to working directly for General Motors, Ed worked for GM subsidiary, Saab, as Regional Sales Manager for Asia Pacific, following three years where he was responsible for business development in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

His retail experience includes working for one of the largest luxury car retailers in the Middle East, based in Dubai. Ed was promoted to General Manager of Kia Automotive Australia in the middle of 2004. During his time at Kia he oversaw a remarkable 29 consecutive monthly sales records for Kia in Australia.

Following Ateco’s appointment as Maserati distributor for Australia and New Zealand in May 2005, Ed was appointed General Manager in July of the same year. During his period at the helm of Maserati he has overseen a more than 100 per cent growth in Maserati in Australia and New Zealand a complete revitalisation of its dealer group.