CARSOME names new president and COO

Used-car online marketplace, CARSOME Group, has appointed automotive industry veteran Eric Chan as president and chief operating officer as the group looks to further its commitment to growth and operational efficiency.

Chan joins CARSOME with operational experience in the automotive sector after a 27-year tenure at Jardine Cycle & Carriage where he held dual roles as regional managing director for the company in Singapore, Malaysia, and Myanmar and as the country managing director for Singapore in 2019.

Jardine Cycle & Carriage is a Malaysia unit that operates Mercedes-Benz dealerships.

Don't miss: MyTukar calls out CARSOME for campaigns that go against 'ethical advertising'

As part of this transition, Aaron Kee, who previously held the position of COO, will assume the role of group chief business officer (CBO). As CBO he will drive the integration of strategies within the CARSOME ecosystem while focusing on identifying and nurturing new prospects beyond CARSOME’s core business segments.

Meanwhile, Juliet Zhu will transition from her role as president and assume the position of advisor to the management team that leverages her insight and experience.

"Our leadership transition is a conscious move to capitalise on our team’s deep strengths against our ambitious objectives. The leadership changes are timely and align with the company’s trajectory toward sustained growth and market leadership,” said Eric Cheng, co-founder and CEO of CARSOME.

“His innovative approach and commitment to excellence are perfectly aligned with our mission to revolutionise the automotive sector, and we look forward to his leadership in steering CARSOME’s regional operational strategies," also said Cheng.

Chan’s corporate experience also includes being chairman of the Cycle & Carriage Bintang board, commissioner on the Board of PT Tunas Ridean TBK (Tunas Group) and an independent director at AcroMeta Group Limited.

“Together with the passionate team, I am committed to building on the company’s legacy and pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve in the industry. It is about strategic innovation, collaboration, and delivering tangible value to our customers and stakeholders,” added Chan.

Recently, CARSOME was in the hot seat when Malaysian digital used car platform myTukar issued an open letter against its competitor, CARSOME, over campaign practices that it says are "eroding trust and reliability" and creating an "environment of mistrust" in the industry.

The issue erupted over CARSOME's "long practice" of rewarding and incentivising reviews as part of its marketing campaigns. According to myTukar, CARSOME gives out prizes for five-star reviews and most-liked five-star reviews.

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