Success Stories
Tell us about a barrier you faced and how you overcame it; what’s the practical advice you’d give someone hitting the same wall?
“Being one of very few women in commercial and tech leadership rooms has been a constant theme. Early on, I sometimes felt I had to tone myself down, be less animated, less enthusiastic, less “bouncy”. I genuinely wondered whether I was too ‘Tigger’ for the boardroom. Over time, I realised I wasn’t too much; I was sometimes just in the wrong room. The breakthrough came when I stopped trying to mould myself into what I thought leadership should look like. My energy, curiosity and ability to connect people quickly weren’t weaknesses at all; they were assets many do not have. When I leaned into being fully myself, I became more effective, not less. (I am still too bouncy for some people; they are not my people, and I’m OK with that.)
Jacqui Barker Global OEM Strategy Director | Keyloop
What first drew you into automotive, and what was your earliest “I belong here” moment?
Which milestone are you most proud of, and what did you do to achieve it?
“I didn’t set out to work in automotive; I fell into it almost by accident. I remember distinctly going for an interview at Bauer Media. It was called EMAP at the time. For those who don’t know, it was the home of car and bike magazines, full of creative people and enthusiasts testing cars and writing about them. My first job was selling advertising on the launch of Max Power magazine; we went on to become the largest- selling car magazine within two years of launch. I found my tribe.” What does great look like in your role day-to-day, and which skill or tool most transformed how you work? “Great, for me, looks like clarity and connection. If I’ve helped an OEM or retailer understand their challenge or how to solve it more simply, connected two partners who should be working together, or translated complex technology into something practical and human, then it’s been a good day. The skill that transformed how I work is storytelling. Early in my career, I learned that success never came from knowing all the answers; it comes from asking better questions and telling clearer stories. Whether it’s on stage, on a podcast, or in a boardroom, the ability to demystify technology and make it relevant to real people has probably been my most powerful tool. Tech doesn’t change industries; people adopting tech do.”
“I’m very lucky; I’ve had a few, and if you think of life in chapters, some are better than others. There have been plenty of titles and roles over the years, but honestly, I’m most proud of the things I’ve built from scratch. Launching the OEM channel at Auto Trader, rebuilding direct OEM relationships at Keyloop into strategic board-level partnerships, and more recently getting involved with the Empowering Auto team in Canada and working towards bringing that to a global audience, launching The Drivetime Podcast and our women’s ERG, Keyshift. Those are the milestones that matter most to me. I don’t have a playbook; I start with a hypothesis of what I believe or identify a gap and then move forward from there. None of it happens on your own, and I love working with people who bring their own energy and ideas to anything.”
My advice? Don’t shrink to fit the space. Find your people or create spaces where your natural strengths are valued. Authenticity isn’t a soft concept; it’s a power play.”
Who or what helped you feel included? What should others copy from that support?
“I’ve been lucky to have a few brilliant allies, leaders who backed me before I had the title, not after. They gave me space to experiment, trusted me with big conversations, pushed me out of my comfort zone when they believed in me more than I believed in myself, and championed me in rooms I wasn’t in. That quiet sponsorship is incredibly powerful. Organisations that create cultures where people are invited in early, not after they’ve “proved” themselves, thrive. People are more loyal when they feel nurtured. Formal mentoring helps, but sponsorship changes careers. Another huge opportunity is to find and support communities of like-minded individuals. Women are now way more intentional in how we all support each other. Empowering Auto, the 30% Club, Women at the Wheel, AutoCar Great Women and Cox Automotive Drivers of Change, that’s exactly why we built Keyshift. Sometimes just seeing other women navigating the same challenges makes you feel less alone and more ambitious.”
Looking ahead, what change do you want to help create in the industry and what’s your one-sentence encouragement to women considering automotive?
“I would love automotive to feel more accessible, more modern and more human. Technology is reshaping everything, including AI, EVs, connected vehicles and digital retail, and that opens the door for a much broader range of talent than the industry has traditionally attracted. We don’t just need engineers and dealers anymore; we need designers, data scientists, marketers, storytellers and community builders.
If I can help make the industry less intimidating and more welcoming, especially for women, I’ll feel like I’ve done my job.
My one sentence? Automotive is one of the most exciting, fast-moving industries you can join; don’t wait to be invited, pull up a chair and own your space.”
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Copyright Rygor Group 2026
Copyright Rygor Group 2026
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