SHANNONS & ME
NATIONAL AUCTIONS and External Relations Manager Christophe Boribon is one of Shannons longest serving employees and last month notched up 24 years of service.
We sat down to talk about his time with the company.
UC: What have been the biggest changes you’ve seen in your 24 years with the company?
CB: “When I came into the business it was family owned by Robert Shannon and after his passing it was purchased by a series of large corporates including Royal Sun Alliance and now Suncorp. We’ve seen a lot of changes and gone from 50 staff when I started to now over 200 staff Australia wide. It has gone from being a small niche business to a very large niche business.”
UC: What are your fondest memories of Robert?
CB: “Like many I learnt a lot from Robert. He was a very hard task master but also very rewarding when you did things well. At times you didn’t know what you were going to get from one minute to the other and there was always an element of surprise with Robert. He certainly kept us on our toes and that resulted in us all growing as individuals.
“One of the attractions of Shannons to me was Robert’s vision. He was always working on the business whether it was 7.00am or midnight.
“He sat on many committees and boards and was a part of organisations that we took part in many events outside the motoring sphere. It was things like parade laps for AFL legends in classic cars at the MCG and many other examples.
“Through his networks Robert was able to bring new customers and create opportunities for new events like Albert Park Classic in the 90s, and standout auctions like Grand Prix auctions that started in 1996 at the MCEC and ran for the next 15 years in conjunction with the Motor Show.”
UC: How did Robert help shape and grow the classic car scene?
CB: “That was another of Robert’s legacies and he achieved that through events, big and small. From grassroots to major national events.
“In non-Covid times there would be between 1200 and 1400 events per year Australia wide where you would see the black Shannons shirts. There wouldn’t be too many companies anywhere in the world that will get near that figure and even in these Covid times we are still able to support around 500 to 600 events
per year around the country.”
UC: But it all started with auctions that is about to light the candles on its 40th birthday. There must have been many changes in that time?
CB: “In the auction space, where I spend most of my time, the business has gone from strength to strength. Vintage and veteran cars were our bread and butter for auctions but fast forward 24 years and the changes include everything from then right up to the modern classics from the late nineties and early two thousands.”
Boribon presided over the auctions rapidly switching to online in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
“We went from live to online auctions quickly but it was a seamless transition, as our system was set up for online bidding to support our live auctions.
“Since the pandemic hit the supply has been phenomenal and we have been offered double what we are taking in for every auction. Demand has been excellent with clearance rates between 92 to 95 per cent and the dollar figure has been surpassing our live auctions.”
Boribon sees a combination of live and online auctions with online here to stay in the short term.
“Our showrooms are open, so interested parties can inspect vehicles before bidding online from the comfort of their home.”
On the weekend of December 5 and 6, 1981, Shannons hosted its first auction event. A Yamaha TDCI racing motorcycle will go down in history as the first vehicle auctioned. Second cab off the rank was a 1961 EK Holden Special sedan.
A noteworthy car went under the hammer a few lots later; the 1978 Bathurst winning HDT Torana A9X.
What has been the most expensive car auctioned? Turns out it wasn’t a car but a number plate. New South Wales number four - which sold for $2.45 million. And the weirdest?
“A funeral cart from the turn of the century that looked like something the Royals would use. Oh, and a birdcage. And we are not talking Maserati”, said Boribon with a laugh.