HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -

On Monday, CDK Global announced its intention to create a chief operating officer role to better align functions and improve the overall effectiveness of the company’s North American business.

The company then said executive vice president and chief financial officer Joe Tautges will assume the COO position effective upon appointing a successor to the CFO role.

CDK Global explained the COO role will bring together the North America sales and customer experience teams, as well as the DMS, CRM, layered applications and portfolio business units, to ensure the accountability and execution of a coordinated and focused plan.

“Adding this critical role will help us drive further our strategy for growth and continue our commitments to delivering the best support to our customers,” CDK Global president and chief executive officer Brian Krzanich said in a news release.

Tautges joined CDK Global in 2017 from Hewlett Packard Enterprise. An internal and external search for a new CFO has already begun, according to the company.

“In his more than three years at CDK, Joe has made tremendous contributions both inside and outside the Finance area, which makes him the ideal leader to assume this position,” Krzanich said. “Joe brings strong financial acumen, in-depth knowledge of both the automotive and technology industries, and a keen ability to drive our top-line growth, as well as manage the bottom line.

“I am confident in his ability to build on our momentum and carry us forward into the future,” Krzanich went on to say.