ATLANTA — Cox Automotive has named Brian Geitner as president of financial services and NextGear Capital. Effective immediately, Geitner will report to Cox Automotive President Sandy Schwartz.

“Brian’s thought leadership, deep expertise within the financing arena and proven success in integrating Dealer Services Corporation and Manheim Financial Services to form NextGear Capital, made him the ideal choice to lead this critical arm of our business,” Schwartz said. NextGear serves more than 22,000 dealers throughout North America, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Previously, Geitner served as president of NextGear Capital, directing the company’s strategic planning, operations and growing customer base. His expanded duties were added when Patrick Brennan, formerly group vice president of financial services, was promoted to senior vice president of operations at Cox Automotive and chief integration officer for the recent Dealertrack acquisition.

Geitner will collaborate with Go Financial, a subprime finance company, to influence both organizations’ teams and technology to provide simpler ways for dealers to finance their subprime customers. He will also continue to lead NextGear Capital’s U.S. operations and international growth to create more efficient ways for dealers to access cash. Go Financial is a joint venture owned in part by Cox Automotive.

“I am excited to join the Cox Automotive senior leadership team and further develop products that anticipate dealers’ financial and inventory needs,” Geitner said. “What we do really matters to our customers’ profitability.”

Geitner joined Cox in 2012 as chief executive officer of Dealer Services Corporation, a used-vehicle floor plan company for independent dealers, before becoming president of NextGear Capital. Prior to that, he co-founded Dealer Services Corporation as chief operating officer and later became president of the company.