CarExpert has completed restructuring its editorial and content team that company CEO Damon Rielly says underscores CarExpert’s unique proposition as a “content-led marketplace for new cars”.
Among the changes, CarExpert has created two new roles, which it has filled with high-profile candidates from Carsales and Nine/Microsoft. A Director of Editorial Content will lead the content strategy of both editorial and video content, while a managing editor has also been added.
“The changes we’re making demonstrate our commitment to our unique proposition of being a content-led marketplace for new cars and the additional investment comes at a time when other automotive websites are reducing their expenditure on quality, unique content,” said Rielly. “In creating a new ‘Director of Editorial Content’ role, we set out to find a leader from outside the automotive industry. Someone who was a content expert in both editorial and video and had already been working at the forefront of AI. We are excited to say that we have found our ideal candidate.”
Filling the newly-created director of editorial content role is Matt Buchanan, an award-winning editorial director and journalist with extensive experience in leading content teams at major media and technology companies, including The Sydney Morning Herald [Nine] and Microsoft. A journalist at heart, Matt also has a passion for the technical aspects of digital publishing, most recently developing cutting-edge AI content programs and AI policy at Microsoft. Matt joins CarExpert in November.
“It’s wonderful to be joining a business that not only values content, but also innovation,” said Buchanan. “It has been very clear to me throughout the process that CarExpert is hungry for continued growth and is not afraid of looking outside the box to develop content that makes buying the right car quicker and easier. I am thrilled to be joining such a terrific, multi-talented and ambitious team”.
Marton Pettendy – formerly the Managing Editor at Carsales – has commenced in the role of Managing Editor at CarExpert, bringing over 30 years of automotive journalism experience to CarExpert’s own team of experts. “It’s great to be part of a business that believes in the power of content,” said Pettendy. “Having joined from an equivalent position at Carsales, the two things I’ve noticed is the business’ appetite to go to the next level and the team’s enthusiasm to remain Australia’s biggest new car website. I look forward to the challenge and am excited to join an already high-performing team.”
CarExpert co-founder, Alborz Fallah, said: “While others have been laying off editorial staff, we’re thrilled to bring in Matt and Marton, who will help mature our systems and processes to continue our strong growth”.
“We’ve just had an absolute record September, blowing away all our previous traffic, engagement and audience records. We firmly believe these appointments will further elevate our results and set new benchmarks in the near future”.
Further to the new appointments, CarExpert has also promoted from within with James Wong, who assumes the role of Marketplace Editor and is tasked with leading the business’ continued expansion into content that drives new car sales.
In conjunction with the personnel changes, CarExpert has also moved to independently host videos on its website, creating more engaging video content for its millions of users as well as new opportunities for advertisers to reach Australia’s biggest new car audience.
The changes come at a time when the company is also undertaking a $4m advertising investment in a multiformat media campaign that emphasises the brand’s position as Australia’s Biggest New Car Website.
“All that we are doing is designed to enhance our content and make it easier for consumers to identify and buy the right new car for them,” said Rielly. “We’ve always believed in content’s ability to inform, persuade and influence. We are confident that we’ll continue to see growth as both choice and competition in the new car sector explode.”
