Jacqui Barker has been appointed to the newly-created position of head of OEM relations at iVendi.
She joins from AutoTrader, where she spent four years as client development director. Past experience also includes another four years at Sewells as account director and more than 15 years on automotive titles at Bauer and EMAP.
At iVendi, her role will be to work closely with manufacturers in the run up to the launch of the new release of iVendi’s core platform in Q1 of 2018, which will form an innovative, end-to-end online motor retailing solution thought to be a world first.
Jacqui will support manufacturers through their own implementations of the platform as well as co-ordinating its independent use by individual franchise dealers.
She said: “I’ve been working closely with manufacturers to understand what drives satisfaction with consumers but also how the online experience has transformed the car buying journey. The biggest challenge for manufacturers and retailers is to continually meet and exceed the expectations of their customers.
“The new version of the iVendi platform has the potential to be a genuinely positive disruptive technology, building new routes to market for manufacturers and dealers, and a key part of my role will be showing them how utilise its capabilities.
“It’s a great time to join the iVendi team. Their technology in this key area of the new and used car markets provides a transparent solution for consumers to make easier to buy a car the way the want to. The new platform is a genuine innovation and it’s a really exciting time to become part of the company.”