OpenRoad’s Christian Chia Named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018 Pacific Winner
Christian Chia, president and CEO of OpenRoad Auto Group Limited is this year’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018 Pacific winner.
Established in 1978 as Multiland Investment, the small, family-run business of one car dealership eventually grew to four stores and three brands by the time Christian became president in 1998. He then led the transition from Multiland to OpenRoad in 2000. Today, OpenRoad is the largest auto retailer in BC, with 26 retail locations, including 23 dealerships and three collision centres. The company now employs 1,100 staff and plans to expand further in Western Canada and Washington State.
“Christian is taking a fresh approach to differentiate OpenRoad in a mature market,” said Lui Petrollini, Entrepreneur Of The Year Pacific program director. “Loyalty marketing, predictive analytics and multi-channel platforms are just some of the tactics he’s embraced to create a personalized and trusting experience — both online and in-store.”
“One of OpenRoad’s biggest strengths is understanding its people,” added Petrollini. “Buying a car is a big investment decision for many people, and the experience often doesn’t end at the point of purchase. Christian aims to build on that by delivering an engaged and meaningful car ownership experience from one end of the customer journey to the other.”
As the Pacific region’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018, Chria will compete with top entrepreneurs from the Prairies, Ontario, Atlantic and Quebec regions for the national honour of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018 Canada, to be presented at a gala celebration on 29 November 2018 in Toronto. In June 2019, Canada’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018 will move to the world stage to compete with more than 50 country recipients for the title of EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year.
