22 March 2022
PrimeResi brings LonRes the monthly headlines on key property recruitment and business moves from March 2022.Buying Agents
Knight Frank’s buying agency division, The Buying Solution, has recruited Savills Director Giles Elliott to cover the prime north London patch. Elliott has spent the last 16 years with Savills, working in the Hampstead Lettings team before moving over to sales in both the St. John’s Wood and Hampstead offices, rising to Associate Director level.
Former Property Vision and Strutt & Parker exec Max Warby has launched a new buying agency in the Chilterns, called Warby Property Search.
Middleton Advisors has hired Will Langmead from Strutt & Parker. He is now working with Middleton’s Head of Estates & Special Projects Tom Hudson, sourcing significant houses and estates right across the country.
West Sussex estate agent Michelle Hendrie has switched sides, moving from selling prime country homes at Jackson-Stops to buying them with Chichester-based buying agency Jennie Hancock Property Acquisitions.
The Buying Solution recruits Savills veteran in north London Ex-Strutt & Parker & PV agent launches new buying firm covering the Chilterns Middleton Advisors boosts Estates & Special Projects team Jackson-Stops agent joins Sussex buying agency Property Acquisitions
Estate Agents
Multinational property consultancies including Knight Frank, Savills, CBRE and JLL have suspended or cut ties with business operations in Russia, in response to the invasion of Ukraine and subsequent anti-Putin sanctions.
Savills has hired George Baskerville to run its Maida Vale and Little Venice sales team. Baskerville moves from Marsh & Parsons, where he spent more than a decade rising through the ranks to become was in charge of sales operations in North Kensington and Holland Park.
Savills has also made a raft of promotions; 355 fee earners have stepped up, including 48 residential agency staff.
Knight Frank has launched a roaming team to service prime parts of North, City & East London not already covered by the local office network. Nick Moore (formerly head of sales in the Islington) and Simon Boulton (formerly City & East, and the Canary Wharf, Wapping & Aldgate team) are offering “bespoke” services for clients across the region, without being affiliated to a particular KF branch.
Knight Frank has recruited Neir Gigi from Goldschmidt & Howland to run its sales team in St John’s Wood. Gigi takes over from James Simpson, who has helmed the St John’s Wood operation for the last 20 years, and is now retiring to focus on “new projects”.
Knight Frank has also appointed Chelsea Whelan as head of sales at the recently-relocated branch on Islington’s Upper Street. Will Gregory takes over her former role in Notting Hill, while former Islington sales head Nick Moore is moving into a “roaming” role aimed at expanding the firm’s reach in prime markets across North, City and East London.
And there have been changes in Knight Frank’s prime lettings teams: Mark Batty is now head of lettings in South Kensington, taking over from Lucy Haynes, who is on maternity leave. Oliver Hepplewhite is now running the lettings team at the Southbank branch. And Jamie-Leigh Harvey is taking charge of super-prime lettings across the Home Counties from 1st April.
Franchised estate agency Winkworth has opened a new outpost in Maida Vale, taking over established firm Vickers & Co, which has been operating in the area since 1984. Vickers’ office on Sutherland Avenue is now decked-out in Winkworth colours. Peter Brown and Stuart Rothstein – both with Vickers for 30 years – are now part of Winkworth.
Fast-growing regional estate agency group Lomond has recruited a new chief, as founder Stuart Pender shifts from Group CEO to become Executive Director of the Lloyds-backed company. Ed Phillips is moving from Foxtons to become Group Chief Executive of Lomond Group.
Gareth Atkins has stepped up to lead Foxtons’ lettings operation as Managing Director – Lettings, replacing Ed Philips who moves to Lomond Group.
Purplebricks boss Vic Darvey has quit the business “due to personal circumstances”, three years after joining as CEO. He will be replaced in the top job by the AIM-listed estate agency’s Chief Operating Officer, Helena Marston.
Long-standing estate agency boss Glynis Frew will be stepping down as Managing Director of Hunters, and from her Board role with Britain’s biggest property franchisor, The Property Franchise Group, at the end of this month. Gareth Williams, formerly Managing Director of TPFG’s Martin & Co in the Midlands and North, steps into Frew’s shoes as MD of Hunters.
One of the chief architects of Countrywide’s integration into Connells Group last year, Jon Notley, has rejoined the business as Group Commercial Director. He was brought in to Connells as Interim Project Director last year, on a six-month contract to lead the integration of Countrywide Plc into its new owner. Now he’s been recruited as a permanent member of the board.
Broker-model estate agency Mr and Mrs Clarke has been acquired by property franchising Plc Belvoir Group. Founders Paul and Alex Clarke will continue to manage the business, under the Belvoir umbrella.
Leaders Romans Group has acquired four-branch London sales and lettings agency Northfields, for an undisclosed sum. Northfields boss and founder Richard Palfreeman will step down from the business following a handover period.
Scottish property firm DM Hall has hired a new Residential Property Director. Kirsten Nicolson moves from Graham + Sibbald, where she was an Associate Partner in Edinburgh.
Knight Frank & Savills suspend Russian divisions Savills recruits Marsh & Parsons’ Baskerville to head up sales in Maida Vale & Little Venice Savills announces huge raft of promotions Knight Frank boosts coverage of North, City & East London with new ‘roaming’ team Knight Frank recruits Goldschmidt & Howland director to lead St John’s Wood sales team New sales boss at Knight Frank Islington New lettings head at Knight Frank South Kensington Knight Frank expands super-prime lettings offering in the Home Counties Winkworth takes over Vickers & Co in Maida Vale Lomond recruits Foxtons’ lettings boss as CEO Foxtons names new lettings chief Purplebricks boss Darvey steps down Long-standing Hunters boss steps down Connells recruits Notley for permanent senior role Belvoir buys broker-model estate agency Mr & Mrs Clarke
Developers
The Battersea Power Station Development Company’s chief operating officer, Ian Feast, is moving on after nearly five years with the monumental London regen project. Scott Grant, who was in charge of Battersea’s first phase and is currently head of Phase 3, is taking over as COO at the end of March.
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