Cars Commerce Appoints Tobias Hartmann to Succeed Alex Vetter as CEO
Event summary
- Tobias Hartmann will assume the role of CEO and Board member of Cars Commerce effective January 15, 2026.
- Alex Vetter will step down from the CEO and Board roles on the same date, remaining as an advisor through March 31, 2026.
- The incoming CEO, Hartmann, brings experience from Scout24 SE Group, HelloFresh SE, and eBay Enterprise.
- The transition follows a period of/under the leadership of Alex Vetter, who transitioned the company from a classifieds model to a vertical SaaS platform.
The big picture
This leadership transition marks a shift from a long-term incumbent, Alex Vetter, who led the company's evolution into a multi-brand automotive technology platform, following a period of's focus on scaling digital marketplaces. The appointment of Hartmann, with a heavy background in B2B and B2C marketplace scaling, suggests a strategic focus on intensifying the growth and margin expansion through advanced data and AI integration across the's automotive retail and wholesale ecosystem.
What we're watching
- Strategic Continuity
- The extent to which Hartmann can maintain the momentum of the vertical SaaS transition initiated by Vetter.
- Monetization Efficiency
- The's ability to leverage AI and data to drive margin growth as seen in his previous roles.
- Execution Risk
- The pace at which the new leadership can integrate the various acquisitions like AccuTrade and DealerClub into a unified platform.
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