Meet Mike Fairman, the CEO of Gumtree, who joined us in 2024 as the business was acquired by its current owners. Mike's mission is to significantly scale the business through increased investment and product innovation.

Career Highlights:

Checkatrade: As the CEO of Checkatrade, part of the FTSE 100 Homeserve Group, he grew the business threefold whilst serving on the Executive Committee for the Group. He also oversaw Checkatrade’s successful sale to Canadian private equity fund Brookfield Asset Management.

giffgaff: Mike set up and led the mobile phone network giffgaff, growing it from a startup to successful £100m+ turnover business.

O2 UK Home Broadband: Mike launched and managed the O2 UK home broadband business, which maintained the top spot in the Customer Satisfaction Index rankings from its inception until it was sold to Sky.

Earlier Career: Mike held various marketing roles in the soft drinks and pet food sectors, and began his career in the engineering department of Jaguar Cars, sparking his passion for technology and great design.

Bit about Mike: Outside of work, Mike is a keen cyclist 🚵‍♂️ , winter sports enthusiast 🎿 , and sailor ⛵ . He lives near the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire with his wife and two (nearly) grown-up children.

Mike's leadership and vision continue to drive Gumtree's growth and success. Stay tuned for more spotlights as we introduce our forward thinking leadership team!