Barbara Cox Awards 2023 nominees: Erin Baker

Barbara Cox Awards 2023

nominees: Erin Baker

Editorial Director at Auto Trader

Brief biography of you and your career

I began my journalistic career as a grad trainee on The Daily Telegraph. After stints as a news reporter and features writer, I became Motoring Editor. I went freelance in 2014, to consult for Goodwood, write car content for both lifestyle and auto titles and comment on BBC, ITV and Sky car stories. I joined Lamborghini’s female advisory board and began contributing car reviews for Marie Claire, Vanity Fair and Vogue. I’m now editorial director of Auto Trader alongside those lifestyle title contributions and specialise in improving relations between the industry and female consumers by consulting directly for OEMs and industry bodies.

Tell us what this nomination means to you

I’m chuffed to bits by this nomination because the word “woman” in automotive carries an extra potency: you inevitably have to have hurdled extra barriers and smashed a few glass ceilings to be one of many years’ standing and notable achievement! So there’s a sense of determination and resilience associated with this award, which also helps raise the profile of all female colleagues around the business. It’s also incredible to be shortlisted from what I imagine was a strong list of candidates, because there are some very talented and hard-working women in automotive today, thankfully.

What advice would you give to a woman considering a career in automotive?

I’d say go for it: we need you! But there are so many different roles and careers in automotive now, from social media to sustainability to software engineer to board director and everything in between. It’s an international community of like-minded souls embarking on some exciting projects together.

What advice would you give your younger self on having a successful career?

I’d say don’t be afraid. Of anything. If not you, who?