Grünwald, Germany – 21 June 2023 – AutoScout24, Europe’s largest online car market, today announces that after over three years at the helm, Edgar Berger has decided to step down as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 31st, 2023. Mr. Berger will transition to the role of Advisor to the Board and remain a significant shareholder.
Mr. Berger led the successful carve-out of AutoScout24 from Scout24 and, over a period of significant investment, broadened its offering and created an ecosystem of services through the strategic acquisitions of LeasingMarkt (2020) and AUTOproff (2022). With revenues up over 50% since Hellman & Friedman’s investment in 2019, the business is currently enjoying its highest growth rate in years and recorded EBITDA of approximately €185 million in the 12 months ended March 31st, 2023. Following the conclusion of a planned search process, AutoScout24’s new Chief Executive will be announced in the coming weeks.
“AutoScout24 is an outstanding company shaping the ecosystem of digital vehicle trade in Europe,” said Edgar Berger. “It has been an honour to lead the company’s evolution in the last few years and I am confident AutoScout24 is in a stronger position today than in 2020. I am thankful to the entire AutoScout24 family and our business partners for their dedication to excellence and am grateful to Hellman & Friedman for supporting me in building a market-leading digital franchise. I look forward to effectuating a smooth transition to the new Chief Executive and to supporting the business as an Advisor over the next phase of its growth.”
“I would like to thank Edgar for his tremendous contribution to AutoScout24” said Blake Kleinman, Partner at Hellman & Friedman and Chairman at AutoScout24. “Edgar’s leadership was instrumental to growing the business, including building an outstanding team and solidifying AutoScout24’s position as a valued partner to our dealer customers as they continue to digitize their businesses. He set the business on a strong foundation for continued growth and we look forward to his involvement as an Advisor to the Board.”
About AutoScout24
With around 2 million vehicle advertisements, around 30 million users per month and more than 43,000 dealer partners, AutoScout24 is the largest pan-European online car market. In addition to Germany, the AutoScout24 Group is also represented in the core European markets of Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Poland and Sweden. As a comprehensive marketplace for mobility, AutoScout24 makes targeted investments in the growth areas of leasing, car subscriptions, electric mobility and online car purchases. With AutoScout24 smyle, the marketplace enables its users to buy vehicles completely online – free of charge and ready-to-drive delivered right to their front door. The leasing specialist LeasingMarkt.de has also been part of the AutoScout24 Group since 2020 and the B2B auction platform AUTOproff since 2022. Together, the marketplaces are driving the digitization of the European car trade significantly.
More information on www.autoscout24.de.
