AUTO1 Group Appoints Christian Wallentin as New CFO to Drive Financial Strategy and Growth

AUTO1 Group SE, Europe's leading digital automotive platform for buying, selling and financing used cars, has appointed Christian Wallentin as its new Chief Financial Officer effective January 1, 2026. Wallentin will succeed Markus Boser, who will step down from his role after ten years of service at the end of this year, with the transition period beginning on October 1, 2025 to ensure a smooth handover of financial leadership responsibilities.

Wallentin brings over 20 years of experience in banking and finance to AUTO1 Group, most recently serving as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Hoist Finance, an asset manager specializing in non-performing loans. During his tenure at Hoist Finance, he was responsible for the company's transformation program and led the finance department. His extensive background includes senior leadership roles at Nordea, where he served as Head of Group Corporate Development and completed a secondment to Luminor as CFO and Head of Operations.

Hakan Koc, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of AUTO1 Group, expressed confidence in the appointment, stating that the company has gained an experienced financial expert and strong leader in Wallentin. Koc also acknowledged Markus Boser's contributions, noting that Boser had been instrumental in establishing AUTO1 Group's financial strength over the past decade. Christian Bertermann, CEO of AUTO1 Group, welcomed Wallentin to the management board and emphasized his anticipated contributions to the company's growth ambitions, particularly in the financing sector.

Wallentin's career includes significant experience in major financial institutions and transactions. At Nordea, he led the merger of Nordea's and DNB's Baltic operations, resulting in the establishment of Luminor, a bank with EUR 15 billion in assets and 3,000 employees. Earlier in his career, Wallentin worked in private equity at Permira and in investment banking at Goldman Sachs. He holds a Master's degree in Economics and Business Administration from the Stockholm School of Economics and a CEMS Master's degree in International Management from ESADE.

Markus Boser, the outgoing CFO, reflected on his decade with AUTO1 Group, expressing gratitude for being part of the company's journey from startup to publicly listed entity. During his tenure, Boser played a vital role in establishing the strong foundations of AUTO1 Group's financial management and was responsible for all financial activities of the Group, including its initial public offering in February 2021. The company went public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and is part of the MDAX index.

AUTO1 Group, founded in 2012, operates as Europe's leading digital automotive platform across three main brands: wirkaufendeinauto.de, Autohero, and AUTO1.com. The company leverages technology and data to maximize value for consumers and partner dealers throughout Europe. With operations spanning over 30 countries, AUTO1 Group employed 6,300 people at the end of 2024, generated revenue of EUR 6.3 billion, and sold 690,000 cars in 2024. The leadership transition comes as the company continues to pursue growth opportunities in Europe's substantial used car market, with Wallentin expressing excitement about unlocking these opportunities together with the AUTO1 team. For more information about the company, visit https://www.auto1-group.com.