Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

CarTrawler Appoints New Members to Executive Team

David Paterson and Michael Cunningham, both with travel-related industry experience, have been added to CarTrawler’s senior executive team.

by Staff
May 29, 2012
2 min to read


CarTrawler, a car rental booking engine company based in Dublin, has two new members on its senior executive team following an investment by ECI Partners, a mid-market private equity firm in the UK. CEO Mike McGearty welcomed David Paterson as the new CFO and Michael Cunningham as the new COO.

Prior to his newest position working out of the company’s headquarters in Dublin, Paterson worked as director of product and director of finance for the online sector in TUI Travel PLC where he oversaw more than $2 billion of transactions. He also led the development of the strategic planning and investor relations framework for TUI Travel PC after the company merged with First Choice Holidays PLC.

Since 1998, Paterson has been a chartered management accountant and held senior finance positions in Virgin Rail Group, Deutsche Bank and British Airways.

As CarTrawler’s COO, Cunningham will take responsibility for operations in Europe, Middle-East, Africa and Asia, and CarTrawler’s global customer service operation.

Before joining the CarTrawler team, Cunningham headed up SITA’s global sales operation for airline solutions and served as director of e-commerce strategy, in addition to helping other worldwide airlines implement effective online strategies.

While his career began in IT in the health care industry, he has 25 years of experience in travel-related industries.

“By supplementing an already highly experienced executive team and by investing in key departments across the business, we can continue to deliver managed growth while maintaining the highest standards of service for our existing partners,” McGearty said.

More Rental Operations

Paperwork sits in front of a black Lamborghini
Rental Operations•November 1, 2026

Clean on Paper: Red Flags in Exotic Car Rental Verification

A suspicious $45,000 Lamborghini booking reveals the strengths and limitations of renter verification, from forged insurance documents to coverage gaps and unauthorized drivers. (Part 2 of 3)

Read More →
display of Turo's FSD homepage
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 28, 2026

Turo and Tesla Take the Next Step Toward Autonomous Car Rentals

The partnership brings Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology into the rental experience, offering a glimpse of how increasingly automated vehicles could change car rental.

Read More →
Two identical rental cars, two different prices
Rental Operations•Cover Story•October 26, 2026

How Rental Operators Can Navigate Personalized Pricing Rules

As regulators scrutinize the use of customer data in pricing, rental operators need to know whether they can explain why one renter pays more than another.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
a laptop shows different connectivity paths for car rental supply
Rental Operations•October 23, 2026

Direct, Broker or Hybrid? How Travel Retailers Source Rental Cars

As travel retailers weigh direct supplier relationships against third-party distribution, rental operators need to understand how those decisions affect their business.

Read More →
thumbnail of title and photo of Joel Price and Chris Brown
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 20, 2026

How Did This Independent Rental Operator Grow to 170 Vehicles in 4 Years?

With 170 vehicles across three Kentucky locations, Joel Price relies on an overseas team to handle reservations, payments, and after-hours customer service. It's one part of an unconventional approach to growing an independent rental operation.

Read More →
thumbnail what does it take to succeed in b2b rentals
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

What Does It Take to Succeed in B2B Rentals?

The fundamentals may be familiar to daily car rental operators, but project-based truck rentals put different demands on the fleet and the business.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of Ana Laborde and world map
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

NPR Builds on International Partnerships to Grow Rental Bookings

With Ana Laborde supporting broker development, NPR Auto Group is tailoring distribution strategies, rate packages, and partnerships to grow international reservations across its three brands.

Read More →
Rental car agent shows woman her choice of rental car
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 7, 2026

Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study

While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.

Read More →
an exotic car wrapped in an insurance policy
Rental Operations•October 1, 2026

The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals

Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
globe of world and drivers license from UK
Rental Operations•September 28, 2026

The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?

For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.

Read More →
Ad Loading...