Former Cox Automotive executive Jared Rowe will become the chief executive officer of YP on Sept. 1, the local marketing solutions provider said in news release Thursday.

Rowe was most recently president of Cox Automotive’s Media Solutions Group.

Cox Automotive announced on Aug. 10 that Brian Geitner would be replacing Rowe, who was leaving the company for an opportunity outside the car business.

Geitner moved into that role Aug. 15.

Rowe served as president of both Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book, joining Autotrader in 2010. He was vice president of product management at Autotrader before becoming KBB president, Autotrader president, and then his most recent post.

Before his Autotrader days, Rowe had various roles with FordDirect (including a spot on the founding executive team), Autobytel and Central Atlantic Toyota Distributors.  

“For more than 100 years, YP’s mission has been to help local businesses thrive by connecting them with relevant consumers. I am truly excited to join YP and build on this incredible heritage by continuing to deliver customized, cost-efficient products and services to our customers to help them meet the challenges of today’s evolving business and consumer environment,” Rowe said in a news release.

“The talented team at YP has created one of the largest and most successful digital local marketing businesses in the world, with hundreds of thousands of local merchants, the industry’s largest local sales force, a comprehensive set of industry-leading marketing solutions, a large, diverse and engaged consumer audience, an innovative technology and product development team, and approximately $1 billion in annual digital advertising revenues,” he said.

“Together we will build on the company’s leading market position to the benefit of both consumers and merchants.”

Chan Galbato, the chairman of YP and CEO of Cerberus Operations & Advisory Co., said in the news release: “YP is committed to providing the innovative, dynamic and tailored marketing solutions required to enable local businesses to connect with their consumers, and will be focused on expanding and fully integrating these services under Jared’s leadership.

“Jared’s extraordinary executive track record and deep expertise in digital marketing, technology and product development, and local, regional and national sales leadership will help to ensure YP has the scale, technology and relationships required to continue driving YP forward as the ‘go-to’ marketing services provider for local businesses,” he said.