Meet the Admiral Team

Dougal Shand

Managing Director & Team Leader

Dougal started Admiral Finance to help people who needed short term personal and cash loans but who struggled to get their bank to take them seriously. His goal was to serve the financial needs of people who usually pay their debts back on time but are often overlooked by the big banks. With his extensive experience in financial services and the credit industries, Dougal was just the man for the job.

Dougal has a B.B.S degree from Massey University and is a Chartered Accountant. Dougal is a registered Financial Adviser. Check out Dougal’s disclosure statement. Prior to starting Admiral Finance Dougal worked in New Zealand, the US and Europe, as both Audit Manager and Management Consultant for KPMG and as Financial Controller for Auto Credit Trust in London.

What Dougal enjoys most about his role at Admiral Finance is meeting customers, learning their stories and helping them get what they need through great financial advice and monetary support.

Dougal lives in Christchurch with his wife and three children. In his spare time, Dougal is a man of action. He loves mountain biking, jet boating and shooting clay birds. He’s an accomplished skier and qualified ski patroller. He also enjoys a good book on the Kindle, going to the theatre and adding to his large collection of rubber insects and loud, eccentric shirts. Dougal’s burning desire is to learn to fly airplanes and he’s indulged his passion of high flying by skydiving and flying on Concorde.

Follow Dougal and Admiral on Facebook and Linkedin.

Jo

Administration Assistant

Joanna’s role at Admiral Finance is as varied as her background. She has a BA degree from Canterbury University, a Nannying and Childcare Diploma, has worked in the Photo Archives at Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington and as an Interior Designer in London.

Joanna is one of our friendly customer service people and not only looks after our customers but also assists the rest of the team with administration, filing and credit checks.

Joanna lives in Christchurch with her husband and three children. She loves mountain biking, walking , reading and spending time with her family. She once flew over the Victoria Falls on a microlite. She also enjoys gardening, cooking and travelling.

Sophie

Lending Officer / Credit Control

Sophie came to us from Wellington University where she studied Commerce majoring in Economics.

Originally from Invercargill, she made the move to the big smoke. In her weekends, she enjoys going to brunch in the city and has a big love for dogs.

Candice

Lending Officer

Candice has recently joined our team as a new lending officer. She has over 6 years’ experience in the finance industry, working in a variety of different roles.

Candice has recently made a move from rainy Auckland to enjoy the warm sunshine Christchurch has to offer.

Victoria

Lending Officer

Victoria is one of the lending officers in our office. Coming from a wide variety of experience in law and accounts, she is currently studying to work towards becoming an accredited Chartered Accountant.

Victoria loves the outdoors and her favourite animal is a cat.

Mark

Field agent

Mark currently works as one of our friendly Field Agents and does many jobs throughout the wider Canterbury region, often after hours and in all types of weather.

A man of many talents, Mark is a pro surfer and an avid skier, rumour has it that he was once bitten by a shark!

Anita

Administration manager

Our documentation specialist and loan administrator Anita is a vital part of the loan process – disbursing loans, organising loan documentation, and administration of loans. She has extensive experience in the banking and insurance industry and joins us with nearly 40 years of banking and finance experience!

In her spare time, Anita is kept very busy with her gorgeous garden, book club and Ratbag the cat.