Who got that job?

Were you one of the people who applied for this job and wondered who got it?

Job title: General manager, The Cat Rental Store

As Allan Westbrook jokes, his career just goes "hire and hire and hire".

He's only ever worked in the equipment hire industry, chasing up a job advertisement as a 20-year-old and starting with Hamilton Hire, later to become Ready Hire. It took just 18 months for him to land his first branch manager position.

Twelve years with Ready Hire was followed by a job with Projex Equipment Hire, which was later bought by Hirequip. Westbrook was last New Zealand sales manager for Hirequip, which has 38 branches in this country.

Waikato born and raised, Westbrook, now 38, was attracted to his new job because The Cat Rental Store - it specialises in the rental of Caterpillar heavy machinery - is a major and growing player, and part of the successful and privately-owned New Zealand company Gough Group. Gough's businesses sit at the heavy end of construction and transport, with its seven companies ranging in focus from engineering to spare parts.

Westbrook is fascinated by the possibilities in the hire industry, he says: "I know it sounds crass, but people rent things, you get them back and you get money. When they're run well, [such companies] can be very profitable."

He says he brings a customer service mentality to the new role: "Providing customers with what they want, when they want and providing the best service".