360.Agency Installs New Leadership for AI-First Automotive Overhaul

MONTREAL, QC – February 03, 2026 – In a decisive move signaling a major strategic pivot, Canadian automotive technology partner 360.Agency has announced a significant leadership shakeup designed to steer the company into an “AI-first” future. The appointment of co-founder Daniel Martin as Chief Executive Officer and the hiring of industry veteran Colin Danielson as Chief Revenue Officer mark a critical milestone in the firm’s mission to retool its entire technology stack and operating model.

The leadership change comes as the automotive retail sector grapples with unprecedented digital disruption, margin pressures, and evolving consumer expectations. By placing seasoned executives at the helm with a clear mandate for technological transformation, 360.Agency is positioning itself to address these challenges head-on and deepen its value proposition for the thousands of dealers and over 30 OEM programs it supports nationwide.

A Strategic Leadership Realignment

The appointments are not merely a change in titles but a strategic realignment of expertise to drive a singular vision. Daniel Martin, who co-founded the company a decade ago, steps into the CEO role, bringing a unique blend of financial acumen and deep technological experience. With over 25 years in digital platforms and transformation, Martin’s return to an executive operational role is pivotal. His mandate is unambiguous: simplify execution, solidify the company's data foundations, and embed artificial intelligence where it can deliver tangible results.

“This transition is about focus and execution,” said Daniel Martin, CEO of 360.Agency, in the official announcement. “We are retooling our platform and embedding AI where it creates real operational and commercial value for our partners.” His history with the company, combined with his start-up and mobile technology background, provides a foundation of institutional knowledge fused with an innovator’s perspective.

Joining him is Colin Danielson as the new Chief Revenue Officer, a role critical for aligning the company’s technological ambitions with market needs and commercial success. With over two decades of experience in the automotive technology space, Danielson is tasked with leading the sales and go-to-market strategy. His focus is on ensuring that customer pain points directly shape product development, creating a feedback loop between the market and the engineering teams.

“Technology only matters if it drives outcomes,” Danielson stated, emphasizing a results-oriented approach. “Our role is to align teams, sharpen execution, and help dealers and OEMs succeed as the market moves faster.” Together, the duo represents a powerful combination of internal vision and external market expertise, poised to drive the company’s next phase of growth.

The 'AI-First' Imperative in Automotive Retail

360.Agency’s “AI-first” declaration is more than a corporate buzzword; it is an embrace of an industry-wide imperative. Across the automotive sector, AI is rapidly moving from a speculative concept to a core operational tool. Dealerships are increasingly looking to technology to combat rising labor costs, navigate staffing shortages, and meet the demands of the modern, digitally-savvy consumer.

The applications are becoming increasingly sophisticated. AI is the engine behind hyper-personalized marketing, using predictive modeling to anticipate when a customer might need a new vehicle or service. AI-powered conversational tools are now autonomously managing sales leads via text and email, qualifying buyers and handing off high-intent shoppers to sales teams. This not only improves efficiency but also ensures a consistent and timely follow-up process, a long-standing challenge for many dealerships.

Furthermore, AI is streamlining back-end operations. From intelligent inventory management tools that provide predictive pricing insights to automated systems that inspect and merchandise used vehicles, technology is cutting through complexity and accelerating speed-to-market. 360.Agency's strategy aims to integrate these capabilities into a cohesive platform, moving beyond siloed solutions to offer a holistic approach.

Solving Real-World Dealer Challenges

The ultimate test of 360.Agency's new strategy will be its ability to solve the pressing, day-to-day problems faced by its dealer and OEM partners. The current retail environment is fraught with challenges, including margin compression on used vehicles, disconnects between online and in-store pricing, and the persistent struggle to manage and convert digital leads effectively.

An AI-driven platform directly addresses these pain points. For instance, by leveraging vast datasets, AI can help dealers make smarter acquisition decisions, shifting from a reliance on auctions to more profitable consumer-direct sourcing. It can ensure pricing and payment consistency across all customer touchpoints, reducing the frustrating funnel drop-offs that occur when online expectations do not match in-store reality.

Moreover, in an era of staffing constraints, intelligent automation becomes a force multiplier. By automating repetitive tasks like initial lead response or service scheduling, AI frees up valuable human resources to focus on high-value, customer-facing interactions. The new leadership's focus on “disciplined execution” suggests a commitment to delivering AI solutions that are not just innovative but also practical, reliable, and directly tied to improving a dealership's bottom line.

Navigating a Competitive, AI-Driven Landscape

360.Agency is not alone in its pursuit of an AI-powered future. The automotive technology landscape is fiercely competitive, with major players like Cox Automotive and CDK Global already investing billions to operationalize AI across their extensive platforms. These competitors are leveraging massive datasets to offer everything from AI-driven vehicle appraisals to sophisticated fraud detection systems.

This competitive pressure makes 360.Agency's pivot both a necessity and an opportunity. While entering a field with established giants, the company's relative agility and focused mandate could allow it to innovate quickly. The success of its strategy will depend on its ability to create a seamlessly integrated platform that is more than the sum of its parts, offering a user experience that cuts through the complexity plaguing many dealer technology stacks.

By prioritizing operational clarity and intelligent automation, 360.Agency is signaling its intent to be a trusted partner that helps dealers navigate this complex technological shift. The new leadership's combined experience in both foundational technology and automotive market realities will be crucial in carving out a distinct and valuable position in this evolving ecosystem. As the industry accelerates its adoption of AI, the moves made by companies like 360.Agency today will likely determine the leaders of automotive retail technology for years to come.