20 November 2025
Trade Me, backed by global private equity firm Apax Partners, has announced its strategic investment and joint venture with CarExpert.com.au, Australia’s largest new-car destination and marketplace.
The funding will accelerate CarExpert’s growth in Australia and support its expansion into New Zealand, where it will introduce its proven new-car content to local consumers for the first time.
Founded in 2020 by Alborz Fallah, Anthony Crawford and Paul Maric, and led by CEO Damon Rielly, CarExpert has grown into one of Australia’s most influential automotive brands, known for its independent reviews, in-depth video content, and expert comparison tools that attract millions of monthly visitors every month.
“This investment from Trade Me represents a huge vote of confidence in what we’ve built at CarExpert,” said Alborz Fallah, Founder of CarExpert.com.au. “We’ve always believed consumers deserve transparency, trust, and genuinely independent advice when it comes to buying a new car, and now we can bring that same experience to New Zealanders.”
The partnership marks a significant step in CarExpert’s regional growth strategy, combining CarExpert’s automotive expertise with Trade Me’s deep market knowledge and digital reach, creating new opportunities to connect new car buyers to their perfect vehicle. It will also see CarExpert content syndicated across Trade Me and Stuff.co.nz, amplifying audience reach and brand opportunities across both countries.
Damon Rielly, CEO of CarExpert, said, “New Zealanders are spoiled for choice, with more makes, models, and engine types than ever before, from petrol and hybrid to full electric. That variety can make buying a car more complex than ever before.”
Our goal is to simplify the journey, helping people cut through the noise to find the right car at the right price. Partnering with Trade Me, a business that understands Kiwi consumers better than anyone, makes this the perfect time to expand across the Tasman.”
CarExpert’s dedicated New Zealand site will launch in early 2026, offering local reviews, pricing insights, and high-quality video content tailored to Kiwi audiences. The partnership will also lay the groundwork for future collaboration with local dealerships and distributors, enabling a seamless new-car buying journey for Kiwi drivers.
“New Zealand’s car market is at a really exciting inflection point, particularly with the rapid shift toward electrification,” Fallah added. “With Trade Me’s support and understanding of the local market, we’ll be able to offer New Zealanders the same high-quality, data-driven, and entertaining car content that’s resonated so strongly in Australia.”
“This investment is an important step in Trade Me’s strategy to strengthen our new car offering,” said Anders Skoe, CEO of Trade Me. “CarExpert has built a trusted brand and deeply engaged audience in Australia, and we’re excited to partner with Alborz, Damon and the team to bring that same expertise and energy to New Zealand.”
The investment will further fund CarExpert’s ongoing development in AI-driven tools, video production, and editorial expansion as the company continues its international growth strategy into 2026 and beyond.
About CarExpert.com.au
CarExpert.com.au is an independent Australian automotive media and marketplace platform uniquely combining independent content authority with a full-service new-car marketplace. Founded in 2020, it has grown to become Australia’s largest new-car destination.
About Trade Me
Backed by Apax Partners, Trade Me is the largest online marketplace and classified site in New Zealand. For 26 years it has been the place New Zealanders look first to buy and sell across property, motors, jobs and marketplace with over 1.5 million visitors every month.
Contact details:
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Alborz Fallah |
Jo-Anne Hendricks |
Tiana Barns |