South Africa’s top-performing Finance & Insurance (F&I) professionals in the automotive retail sector were celebrated at the prestigious 2025 Lightstone Auto Star Reacher F&I Awards held on 24 May 2025. Now in its fourth year, the Awards recognise F&I managers who embody excellence, integrity and innovation in driving dealership profitability and customer satisfaction.
Hosted by Lightstone Auto, owner of the Signio platform, the Star Reacher Awards honour F&I professionals for outstanding annual performance across five key focus areas: customer engagement, compliance, digital adoption, and value creation. Signio is an innovative electronic workflow and signature solution that securely automates the vehicle finance and insurance process.
Widely adopted across South Africa, it serves motor vehicle dealerships (SMEs and dealer groups), banks, insurance companies, Value-Added Product (VAP) applications, and other automotive industry participants.
Every quarter, winners in each category are awarded for their achievements and this culminates in an annual award ceremony where performance over a 12-month period is recognised. Each category winner was awarded a luxury trip for themselves and their partner to the tropical island of Mauritius, valued at R40,000 each. Runners- up each received shopping vouchers worth R10,000.
This Awards programme is a completely data-driven recognition platform for F&I professionals in the industry. The Star Reacher Awards are based on measurable performance indicators such as the number of value-added products and services’ (VAPs) leads referred, completed finance applications, and KYC checks. F&I managers are also evaluated within categories that match their dealership’s sales volume, ensuring a level playing field where even those at smaller dealerships have a fair chance to excel.
The competition delivered impressive results, far surpassing expectations in both performance and impact. Beyond its success, it has also driven significant progress, benefiting both the talented participants and the dealerships that support them. The data highlights this achievement, with a 27% increase in VAP ratios, a 16.2% rise in insurance leads, and a remarkable 56% surge in KYC usage.
2025 Winners
Winners per category:
| Category* | Winner | Dealership |
|---|---|---|
| Ruby (Mega volume) | Charles Laine | Mit Mak Motors |
| Amethyst (High volume) | Ruane Pretorius | Westvaal Polokwane |
| Sapphire (Medium volume) | Ria Hattingh | Westvaal Mokopane |
| Emerald (Low volume) | Hermione Voges | Westvaal Volkswagen Mahlkeng |
| Topaz (Entry volume) | Alet van Wyk | Westvaal Lichtenburg |
From left to right: Pieter Wessels (CEO, Coaxle) with Charles Laine (Mit Mak Motors), Ria Hattingh (Westvaal Mokopane), Alet van Wyk (Westvaal Lichtenburg), Hermione Voges (Westvaal Volkswagen Mahikeng), Ruane Pretorius (Westvaal Polokwane) and Jaco van Staden (Head of Sales at Lightstone Auto).
Runners-up per category:
| Category* | Runner-up | Dealership |
|---|---|---|
| Ruby (Mega volume) | Eduan Hattingh | Mit Mak Motors |
| Amethyst (High volume) | Gilene van Zyl | Westvaal Polokwane |
| Sapphire (Medium volume) | Heilandi Harmse | Westvaal VW Lichtenburg |
| Emerald (Low volume) | Rachael de Koker | Westvaal Mahikeng |
| Topaz (Entry volume) | Carine van In | Auto Clinic |
Runners-up, from left to right: Eduan Hattingh (Mit Mak Motors), Rachael de Koker (Westvaal Mahikeng), Heilandi Harmse (Westvaal VW Lichtenburg), and Gilene van Zyl (Westvaal Polokwane). Insert: Carine van In (Auto Clinic)
Special recognition was given to repeat winners who have excelled year after year:
Multi-year award recipients
| Category* | Winner | Dealership | Times won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruby (Mega volume) | Charles Laine | Mit Mak Motors | 3 consecutive years |
| Amethyst (High volume) | Ruane Pretorius | Westvaal Polokwane | 3 consecutive years |
| Emerald (Low volume) | Hermione Voges | Westvaal Volkswagen Mahikeng | 3 consecutive years |
| Sapphire (Medium volume) | Ria Hattingh | Westvaal Mokopane | 2 consecutive years |
From left to right: Sonja Kuyler (Head of Dealer Value at Lightstone Auto), Ria Hattingh (Westvaal Mokopane), Ruane Pretorius (Westvaal Polokwane), Hermione Voges (Westvaal Volkswagen Mahikeng), Charles Laine (Mit Mak Motors), and Renate Prinsloo (Head of Dealer Value at Lightstone Auto).
The Star Reacher Awards continue to set the standard for recognising ethical leadership, digital integration, and customer-focused service in F&I. The event was a morning of celebration, reflection and inspiration for the future of the industry.
Paul Marshall, Managing Director at Lightstone Auto, applauded the winners for their dedication and professionalism saying, “F&I professionals are the unsung heroes of dealership profitability and customer trust. Lightstone Auto takes great pride in supporting and celebrating those who go above and beyond to serve both customers and their dealerships. This year’s winners embody the future of a sustainable and thriving auto industry. They have demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and confidence in the face of change - emerging even stronger as a result. We are committed to helping motor dealers succeed by providing data-driven insights, innovative solutions, and ongoing support to navigate an ever-evolving automotive landscape.”
Since launching Star Reacher, Lightstone has intentionally kept the event small, intimate, and personal—fostering authentic connections and a focused experience. Lightstone believes it has successfully delivered on that vision but also recognises the need to innovate and adapt in a rapidly evolving industry. The goal is to grow the event into a nationally recognised industry event over the next year, while preserving the unique spirit that has defined it from the beginning.
