Auto Trader’s Rakesh Patel joins Spotify as UK head of sales

Spotify UK has appointed Rakesh Patel as head of sales, it has been announced.

Patel will be responsible for leading Spotify’s sales team in the UK, reporting into the VP of sales for Europe, Marco Bertozzi, and will be based in London.

Patel has more than 18 years’ industry experience, and joins from Auto Trader where he was advertising director. Prior to Auto Trader he spent seven years in sales management roles at Microsoft.

“Rak’s wealth of experience and digital sales background is exactly what we need to drive the Spotify’s UK sales team forward, and we are excited to welcome him,” said Bertozzi.

Patel, who starts his new role in November, joins Zuzanna Gierlinska who recently joined as head of programmatic for Europe and Louise McCarthy as senior sales trainer.