EU Marketplaces vice-president, eBay

Taking over the responsibilities of former managing director Mark Lewis, Gilmartin is charged with the UK and European businesses and takes on new responsibilities at a pivotal time for eBay. Although you can still go and bid for items on eBay, it has been trying to reinvent itself as a fixed price etailer and with the launch of its dedicated fashion area this year backed by a major advertising campaign, it is confident it can win that battle.

EBay’s fashion offer now receives 2.3 million visitors each month with sales of about £4m achieved for brands that are sold on the site in the three months to the end of August. Gilmartin will be pushing to continue changing people’s perceptions that eBay is more than just an auction site.

She will also be building on the growing use of mobile devices to shop. According to eBay, in the past year the m-commerce market was worth £123m in the UK, a figure expected to double in the next few years. Gilmartin launched the eBay fashion app to a UK audience in October.

With Asos launching its own marketplace and more and more high street retailers, including off-price giant TK Maxx, moving online, continued innovation will be crucial to eBay if it is to position itself as the online outlet channel of choice for retailers and consumers alike.

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