How Lightstone’s 2025 Star Reacher winners are driving the industry forward – one personalised customer experience at a time.
Every day, Finance and Insurance (F&I) professionals help South Africans navigate one of life’s biggest purchases. They work at the intersection of finance, compliance, insurance and customer trust, helping families upgrade their vehicles, entrepreneurs grow their businesses and first-time buyers get behind the wheel. Which is why being named a Lightstone Star Reacher winner is such a significant achievement.
In 2025, more than 600 F&I professionals from over 470 dealerships across the country competed in the programme. Only five emerged as category winners, placing them among the very best in the business. But what makes their achievement remarkable isn’t simply the result. It’s the journey. From overcoming personal setbacks and rebuilding careers to mastering their craft over decades, these are the stories behind South Africa’s top five F&I professionals.
Charles Laine: Competing with yesterday
For Ruby category winner Charles Laine of Mit Mak Motors, success starts with a simple question: can he be better than he was yesterday? As a four-year repeat Star Reacher winner, Charles has proven that excellence is not achieved once, but sustained through discipline, consistency and a personal commitment to continuous improvement. Having spent more than a decade at the dealership, Charles sees the Star Reacher competition as a personal challenge rather than a contest against others.
“I see the competition as a self-improvement tool to keep me on my toes,” he says. “To see if I can get out or give more of myself and challenge myself to be better than yesterday.”
And while most companies focus on the client relationship, he praises the culture at Mit Mak Motors for teaching him that “you need to have a good relationship with not only your clients, but your sales executives.” His journey to the top has not always been easy. Like many driven people, he has faced his fair share of criticism and doubters along the way. Instead of allowing setbacks to hold him back, he uses them as stepping stones to his success.
“There will always be people who want to see you fail,” he says. “I used that to push myself to be the best of my ability. To feel like a winner, you must know what it feels like to lose.”
Ria Hattingh: The power of starting over
If there is one story that captures the spirit of resilience, it is that of Sapphire category winner Ria Hattingh from Westvaal Mokopane. A three-year repeat Star Reacher winner, Ria’s success speaks to more than performance alone. It reflects her ability to rebuild, adapt and keep raising the bar, even after major personal and professional change.
Ria began her career as a vehicle administration clerk and paid for her own F&I studies while working full-time. She eventually secured a F&I role and built a successful career when life took an unexpected turn.
In 2019, she left the industry and relocated to another province. Then Covid-19 landed. Like many South Africans, she found herself having to rethink her future and start again. In 2021, she joined Westvaal Mokopane and started from the ground up. Today, she is one of South Africa’s top-performing F&I professionals who has learnt to embrace change and adapt with grace.
“Success does not happen overnight,” she says. “Sometimes you have to start at the bottom, work hard, stay focused and earn your way to the top. Instead of focusing on the difficulties,” she says, “I look for the positives that each change can bring. This mindset helps me grow, stay resilient, and embrace new opportunities with confidence.”
Her advice to others is as simple as it is challenging: “Just do it. Even when it is hard, just do it anyway.”
Ruane Pretorius: mastering the craft
Some careers are built on dramatic moments, while others are built on consistency. Amethyst category winner Ruane Pretorius, from Westvaal Motor Group, represents the latter. Ruane has spent 24 years with the Westvaal Motor Group, starting as a parts salesman before progressing through various roles to become a business manager. Along the way, he built a reputation for professionalism, discipline and excellence.
A four-time Star Reacher winner, he continues to enter the competition for the same reason he entered the first time – to measure himself against the best. “I wanted to compare myself with the best and see how long I could keep the top position in my category.”
His guiding philosophy is straightforward: “Do things right the first time around.” It’s an approach that has served him well throughout a career defined by dedication, patience and continuous improvement.
“You are capable of achieving anything if you apply your mind to it. Never give up and do what is expected of you.”
Hermione Voges: Putting people first
For Emerald category winner Hermione Voges from Westvaal Volkswagen Mahikeng, success begins and ends with people. As a four-year repeat Star Reacher winner, Hermione shows sustained excellence through expertise, empathy and consistency. While technology, regulations and customer expectations continue to evolve, she believes the human element remains the most important part of the job.
“Many customers arrive excited about their new vehicle but nervous about the financial side of the process,” she says. “I enjoy helping them understand their options and making sure they are protected.”
Her approach reflects a growing shift within the profession, where trust, transparency and customer education are becoming just as important as technical expertise. Every deal is ultimately about building relationships that last long after the customer drives off the showroom floor.
“Over time, I realised that success in this profession is not about selling products; it’s about building trust and relationships. That mindset has guided me throughout my career.”
The quote she lives by says everything about how she approaches both business and life: “People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
Rishi Bheemraj Somaru: Showing up when it matters most
After almost 25 years in the industry, Topaz category winner, Rishi Bheemraj Somaru of Hyundai Newcastle, is still motivated by one thing – helping people. He began his career in dealership administration in 2000 before discovering his passion for F&I. Over the years, he has built a reputation for integrity, efficiency and always going the extra mile for customers “no matter what time of day it is”.
His personal motto captures his philosophy perfectly: “Integrity in every deal, value in every relationship.”
Yet behind the achievement lies a story of remarkable perseverance. During one particularly demanding period, Rishi was managing a large sales team while travelling regularly between Newcastle and Gauteng to support his wife through cancer treatment. Despite the challenges, he continued showing up for his family, his colleagues and his customers. This year, that dedication was rewarded with his first Star Reacher victory.
“Excited. Over the moon,” he says. “It’s the first time in almost 25 years in the field that I have won a trip.”
These five winners may have taken different roads to the top, but together they prove that excellence is not a destination, but a standard you choose to uphold every day.
