Carsome appoints former Dairy Farm executive as COO

USED-CAR trading platform Carsome has appointed Benjamin Koellmann as its new chief operating officer (COO), it said in a statement on Wednesday.

He is responsible for driving synergy and operation efficiency across Carsome's operations in all its markets, namely Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore.

Mr Koellmann was previously director of e-commerce (food) at Dairy Farm International. Prior to that, he was part of the early team at Lazada Indonesia, before setting up online grocery platform HappyFresh in Indonesia, Carsome said.

Mr Koellmann had worked in roles and companies that were "at the leading edge of digital transformation", and was "looking forward to do the same for the automotive industry", according to the statement.

Noting Mr Koellmann's management experience with e-commerce platforms and experience as a startup founder, Carsome co-founder and group chief executive Eric Cheng said the appointment was timely as Carsome continues its expansion in South-east Asia.

The company said it reported a V-shaped recovery since resuming business in Malaysia, after the country's Movement Control Order in July. It also launched its flagship Carsome Experience Center in Kuala Lumpur last month as part of a new venture into the business-to-consumer segment. The store offers a differentiated experience of buying used cars, it added.