Nathan Coe, CEO, Autotrader

As CEO of Autotrader, Nathan Coe is a purpose-driven leader who believes organisations perform better when everyone can contribute at their best.

Having joined Autotrader in 2007, Nathan has played a central role in the company’s transformation from a traditional print publisher into the UK’s leading digital automotive marketplace. During that time he led Product & Technology, was CFO, COO, and became CEO in 2020. He brings deep commercial expertise and a strong focus on culture, people, and long-term value creation.

A leadership journey shaped by learning

Nathan’s commitment to inclusion has come from a humbling and growing appreciation of just how different the world of work is for people from different backgrounds.

He credits much of his learnings to being the father of two girls and his colleagues; some seriously talented people with different backgrounds and characteristics that may have been looked over by other organisations. Unfortunately for many people opportunity does not seem within grasp, even though they are at least as skilled or capable as the next person. Understandably this has become a big part of what he wants to achieve as a leader. Providing a place where the very best can be just that.

Inclusion as a driver of performance

Autotrader has unequivocally benefited from a significant increase in the diversity of its people. Diverse thinking creates better teams which creates better businesses. This has been proven at every level of the organisation from the board, to the leadership team, to managers, to apprentices and graduates taking their very first career steps.

It has nothing to do with “box-ticking”, it is about making sure we are getting the very best people by removing barriers that prevent them from being recognised and performing at their very best..

An opportunity for the Automotive Industry

Nathan’s appointment as Patron of the Automotive 30% Club is a great privilege. The Club’s mission: to accelerate gender balance across the automotive industry and ensure that leadership teams better reflect the diversity of the communities they serve aligns closely with his own views. He sees it as a great opportunity to make a great industry even better.