Cox Auto Trader Forms New Business Unit: Cox AutoTrader/AutoMart
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Cox Auto Trader announced the creation
of a new combined print and online publishing unit: Cox
AutoTrader/AutoMart, which produces classified automotive advertising for
dealers and private sellers. This unit is comprised of AutoTrader,
AutoMart, AutoExtra and AutoMercado magazines, as well as other automotive
classified titles. Cox AutoTrader/AutoMart also includes AutoMart.com and
AutoExtra.com web sites. AutoTrader.com continues to operate as a separate
business unit under the Cox Auto Trader umbrella and is unaffected by these
changes.
The formation of the new Cox AutoTrader/AutoMart business unit will
allow its parent company, Cox Auto Trader, to leverage internal resources
more effectively, while offering customers the best of both free and paid
automotive advertising in print publications and online.
Joe George, a 17-year Cox Enterprises veteran who has most recently
served as vice president of business development and strategy for Cox Auto
Trader, will be president of Cox AutoTrader/AutoMart and will report to
Sandy Schwartz, president of Cox Auto Trader.
“Joe has a proven track record of success. Having served in executive
leadership roles for Manheim, AutoTrader.com and Cox Auto Trader, he is
well suited to lead this effort. I’m excited for Joe and for our
businesses,” said Schwartz. “Our new structure puts us in position to
better serve our customers by creating a streamlined and more effective
organization, which enables us to be the best print and online organization
in this competitive environment.”
All functional areas including sales, internet, finance, IT, marketing
and human resources will report to George. As he locates opportunities for
synergy within the new business unit, George will also work to identify
potential partnerships and business alliances with sister company
AutoTrader.com, as well as across all of Cox Enterprises’ subsidiaries.
“I am excited about the opportunity to reorient the businesses to meet
the demands of a changing environment,” said George. “Our new
organizational structure will grant us increased collaboration and prepare
us to take advantage of future opportunities in the marketplace.”
The formation of this combined unit marks a new way of doing business
for AutoTrader Publishing and AutoMart who traditionally operated with a
more decentralized approach. Bringing these businesses together as a joint
print and online publishing unit allows Cox AutoTrader/AutoMart to offer a
more complete automotive advertising, buying and selling solution for
dealers, private sellers, car buyers and researchers.
About Cox Auto Trader:
Cox Auto Trader is one of the world’s leading providers of online and
print automotive consumer information. Operating business units include
majority-owned AutoTrader.com and Cox AutoTrader/AutoMart. AutoTrader.com
is the internet’s leading auto classifieds marketplace and consumer
information web site with more than 3 million vehicle listings and over 13
million qualified buyers each month. Cox AutoTrader/AutoMart consists of
AutoTrader Publishing, a leading producer of classified automotive
advertising publications with nearly 350 automobile and light truck titles
and a total circulation of 3.5 million per week; and AutoMart, the leading
provider of print and online classified automotive advertising for dealer
customers with more than a million used car internet listings from dealers
combined with print publications in 72 separate markets.