Fears rise as missing man's car found

Grant Atkinson failed to show at work on Tuesday morning. Photo / Supplied

Grant Atkinson had just returned from a two-week break in the South Island with his wife and three kids.

The 48-year-old finance company executive was due back at work on Tuesday morning, but when he failed to arrive, alarm bells rang.

Yesterday, police found Mr Atkinson's company car, a black 2007 Holden Calais, in a "rural location" northwest of Auckland. Search efforts were last night focused on the area, which police would not reveal.

Mr Atkinson was last seen by his wife, Christina, about 8am on Tuesday as he left their $1.12 million Campbells Bay home for work at Newmarket finance company Marac, where he is a chief risk officer.

The family had gone to the South Island during the holidays and were due to start back at work and school this week.

Marac chief investment officer Craig Stephen said the break was well-deserved after Mr Atkinson had "held down the fort" as one of the senior managers during the Christmas and New Year period.

Before he left, he had seemed in good spirits.

"There was nothing to suggest that anything was going on," Mr Stephen said. "He was very much a committed family man."

Marac gave police Mr Atkinson's company cellphone and fuel card records.

The phone had not been touched since Monday and the car had been filled with petrol about 11am at Shell near his house, Mr Stephen said.

Mr Atkinson had been with Marac for about 15 years.

Staff were "certainly very stressed", Mr Stephen said, but they were "hoping for the best". If anything untoward had happened, provisions were in place to help staff.

"We are hoping for his safe return and our thoughts are with his family."

Police said yesterday Mr Atkinson had a large network of friends, relatives and associates.

"The family's concerns for his safety and wellbeing are increasing."

Mr Atkinson is described as being of medium build, between 185cm and 195cm tall, with partially grey hair. He was last seen wearing dark grey business trousers, a light blue long-sleeve shirt and black leather shoes.

Marac is owned by the Pyne Gould Corporation, which was recapitalised and is now one of the stronger finance companies in the country.

Marac is widely expected to buy assets from less secure, smaller finance companies.

Its normalised net profit to June 2009 was $19.5 million, which excluded $59.5 million worth of property loan right-offs.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Grant Atkinson is urged to contact Sergeant Grant Hand on (09) 477-5000.