AUTO1 Group Appoints Christian Wallentin as New Chief Financial Officer

AUTO1 Group SE, Europe's leading digital automotive platform for buying, selling and financing used cars, announced that Christian Wallentin will become the new Chief Financial Officer effective January 1, 2026. Wallentin will succeed Markus Boser, who will be stepping down from his role after ten years of service at the end of this year. The transition period began on October 1, 2025, ensuring a smooth handover of responsibilities between the outgoing and incoming CFO.

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 specialized 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 appointment comes at a critical time for AUTO1 Group as the company pursues ambitious growth plans, particularly in the financing segment of its operations.

Hakan Koc, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of AUTO1 Group, expressed confidence in Wallentin's appointment, stating that the company has gained an experienced financial expert and strong leader. Koc also acknowledged Markus Boser's significant contributions, noting that Boser had been instrumental in establishing AUTO1 Group's financial strength over the past decade. The company generated revenue of EUR 6.3 billion and sold 690,000 cars in 2024, demonstrating the scale of the financial operations Wallentin will oversee.

Christian Bertermann, CEO of AUTO1 Group, welcomed Wallentin to the management board and emphasized the importance of his role in supporting the company's growth ambitions. Bertermann also expressed gratitude to outgoing CFO Markus Boser for his exceptional leadership and dedication over the past 10 years. 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 IPO in February 2021 when the company went public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Wallentin's 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. 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.

The leadership transition occurs as AUTO1 Group continues to expand its position in Europe's used car market through its three main brands: wirkaufendeinauto.de, Autohero and AUTO1.com. The company operates in over 30 countries and employed 6,300 people at the end of 2024. Wallentin expressed excitement about joining AUTO1 Group's management board and working with the team to unlock growth opportunities in Europe's used car market. For more information about the company, visit https://www.auto1-group.com.