Auto Trader’s former head of product development, Tom White, has joined customer acquisition specialist The Lead Agency as managing director of its automotive division.

White spent more than six years at Auto Trader and during that time partnered with The Lead Agency (then The Auto Network) to spearhead the company’s move into the new vehicle market.

In 2013 White joined Time Out, where he was chiefly responsible for bringing the “globalising” the publication’s digital platforms.

He now joins The Lead Agency with a remit to set the strategic direction for its automotive service, developing the company’s core products, building relationships with advertisers and driving growth across new markets and territories.

“Tom represents a significant appointment and a perfect fit for The Lead Agency,” said managing director Anton Hanley.

“He has a phenomenal record for creating business and product strategies that lead to lasting change and considerable commercial success. His ability to lead teams towards genuine innovation will be instrumental in how we develop and grow our automotive service.”

White said: “Anton and I developed a strong working relationship during my time at Auto Trader that was founded on mutual trust and shared values that are reflected in The Lead Agency to this day.

“The company’s commitment to fairness and quality coupled with its ability to innovate and drive change has established it as the UK’s leading supplier of customer acquisition opportunities within automotive. I’m excited by the prospect of building on that success in the same tradition.”