Posted:21-August-2018
Belvoir announces changes to Senior Management Team
Belvoir, the UK’s largest High Street franchised network of residential lettings and estate agents, is delighted to announce that Phil Gee, former National Operations Director of Northwood, has been promoted to Northwood MD, and Eric Walker, former MD of Northwood, has been promoted to Group MD across Belvoir’s four core brands.
Dorian Gonsalves, CEO of Belvoir said: “The promotion of Phil Gee and Eric Walker is testimony to their vast industry experience, and commitment to our highly successful multi-brand business model, which will ensure continued business growth in the coming years."
“With Mark Newton as MD of Newton Fallowell, and Michelle Brook as MD of Brook Financial Services, Belvoir now has MDs in situ within all three brands, with Eric as MD of Belvoir, and the wider Group. Mike Goddard will continue in his role as Chairman."
“As Group MD, Eric, who has over 30 years of industry experience, will be focusing on key operational and IT growth across all four brands. He will be working to drive forward business growth, as well as bringing added value to all of our franchisees. Eric will also be responsible for driving forward estate agency growth, which at present is growing by 15% year on year, and is an area of the business that is rapidly developing.”
Speaking of his promotion to Group MD, Eric Walker said: “I very much welcome this enormous challenge and am looking forward to driving the business forward. I think that it is a great opportunity for the plc to work in a common direction."
“Major franchise groups are currently doing very well compared to the traditional business models of corporate offices. Franchising has a proven track record, and is ideally suited to meet the challenges facing the industry in an uncertain economy."
“I have really enjoyed working with Northwood’s franchisees and very much look forward to working with the wider Group. Within the individual networks there is a huge spectrum of experience and expertise that can be drawn together in a Group role.”
Phil Gee, Northwood MD, said: “This is a very challenging time for the industry, and the next 12 months in particular will see further change in terms of the tenant fee ban and increased legislation and tax changes impacting on landlords. I have been in the industry for 37 years, through eras of boom and bust, and there is more happening now than there ever has been before, but this is also creating enormous opportunities, particularly for growth through acquisition. It will also greatly improve services to landlords and tenants, with rogue agents being driven out of the industry. These are exciting times, and I am looking forward to helping Northwood’s franchisees take advantage of the many opportunities ahead.”
Speaking of the future of the industry, Dorian Gonsalves said: “Belvoir predicts that the rental sector will continue to expand, although the number of agents operating in the sector will undoubtedly reduce over the next three to five years."
“Collectively, Belvoir’s strengthened Senior Management Team has over 150 years of industry experience to call upon, making us very well-positioned to use our wider Group functions and embrace every opportunity for growth within this fast-changing industry."
“Northwood and Newton Fallowell are currently doing extremely well, and Brooke Financial Services, which was only acquired by Belvoir in 2017, is easily outperforming its growth targets."
“Belvoir has enjoyed uninterrupted profit growth for the past 21 years, and the formation of a new Operational Board consisting of all the MDs and CEO, will be directly responsible for delivering more aggressive growth in the years to come."
“Finally, I would like to pay tribute to all of Belvoir’s extraordinary and entrepreneurial franchisees, who have been incredibly supportive of the management team, and the enlarged Group. Together, we can look forward to a very bright future.”
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