Autotrader Group (ATG) has appointed former car dealer Saxon Odgers, as the new head of dealer marketplaces for Autotrader, CarsGuide and Gumtree Cars.
The former Carsales and Sydney City Toyota/Lexus executive brings more than 13 years of automotive experience to the role and he will be responsible for driving the motors dealership strategy.
The new appointment builds on the business’ strategy to provide an open platform for dealerships through the combined offering across CarsGuide, Autotrader and Gumtree Cars.
Together, the brands bring a three-shop window for partners, with a reach of more than 3.3 million unique visitors per month .
ATG managing director Mark Kehoe says Odgers background in the automotive industry and vision for the evolution of the sector will enable him to transform the way the motors teams runs and become focused on its future digital proposition.
“The open platform provided by Autotrader, CarsGuide and Gumtree Cars presents an exciting opportunity in the Australian automotive industry, bringing more visibility to both dealerships and consumers,” Odgers says.
“My family has worked in the automotive industry since 1922, so for me to have the chance to work across these three brands and focus on optimising our solutions, is a natural fit.
“The industry and its move from offline to online is a true passion of mine as the sector is evolving at a rapid pace and changing how dealerships market their business and sell to consumers.
“I fully support this evolution and actively interpret how buyers research, engage and interact with dealerships to assist the vehicle sales function and customer experience within dealerships,” he says.
Odgers joined the business in late December and will work closely with the dealer sales team to ensure value is articulated and return on investment is achieved with national dealer groups.
Join the conversation