John D Wood & Co. appoints John East as head of new homes 

John D Wood & Co. has announced the appointment of John East as head of new homes.

East commenced his new role with the business at the start of 2023 and will lead the land & new homes department at John D Wood & Co.

He has more than 30 years’ experience in the property sales market, and has 13 plus years’ experience as a land and new homes specialist providing development consultancy advice to developers, housebuilders, housing associations and agencies.

East said: “I am excited to build upon the great work which has already been taking place in the Land and New Homes department at John D Wood & Co. There is great appeal from developers to bring on board quality high-end brands with expertise to match, and John D Wood & Co. offers just that.”

Polly Ogden Duffy, MD, John D Wood & Co., added: “John has extensive experience within the New Homes sector, steering projects from conception all the way to delivery. We have our eye on significant growth in this area of our business and I am delighted to welcome John to the team.’’

Carter Jonas welcomes Sophie Richardson to lead Winchester office 

Carter Jonas has appointed Sophie Richardson to lead its successful Winchester office as partner and head of residential sales

Richardson has a wealth of experience across the property industry and has worked in roles for Savills and John D. Wood & Co. She will support and lead the sales team, while also aiding the consultancy to grow the city centre market, whilst also retaining a focus on continuing to develop the country house market within Winchester’s surrounding villages.

She joins Carter Jonas directly from Savills in Petworth, where she was a key member of the sales team, raising the company profile in the area and building key relationships with local landowners and agents.

Richardson commented: “I’m excited to be diving straight in and working with motivated buyers and sellers in the city and the countryside. In my new role, I’m hoping to grow the presence and profile of Carter Jonas across the large area we cover across Hampshire, whilst also utilising and strengthening my experience of working with luxury properties and high net-worth clients.”

Lisa Simon, head of residential at Carter Jonas, added: “As we continue to maintain our excellent reputation in Winchester, it’s fantastic that Sophie has joined the team. She will build on the success that Carter Jonas consistently achieves in this busy and thriving office, and it is a pleasure to welcome Sophie with her positive outlook and varied experience in the sector.”

Sigma Homes Group appoints Susan Joseph as director of sales & marketing

Susan Joseph has been appointed by Sigma Homes Group as the company’s first director of sales and marketing. Previously head of sales (acting sales director for Southern Counties West) for Berkeley Group, she will be responsible for leading a multidisciplinary team and implementing marketing and sales strategies to support the needs of the rapidly growing housebuilder. Joseph will be based in the head office in Horsham, West-Sussex.

Sigma Homes Group is expanding its presence across the South East. The company is currently on track to deliver 200 homes per year by 2025, and have live developments in West and East Sussex, and Surrey. All homes are built utilising timber frame construction to maximise thermal efficiency and achieve a high EPC rating.

Joseph said: “The recent period of rapid growth and expansion will enable a number of new eco-focused developments to launch this year. It is extremely exciting to be in post to drive the sales and marketing strategy for those new schemes and contribute to this highly talented team.

“Having worked with a wide network of selling agents, both UK and international, and also selling to owner occupiers, UK investors and international buyers, I believe my experience, skillset and values are well aligned with the Sigma Homes Group.”

Geoff Potton, chief executive of Sigma Homes, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Susan Joseph to the team. Her experience within the industry, results driven marketing strategies, and new homes sales negotiations, are an invaluable addition to the Sigma Homes Group. We are very pleased to see our land and planning successes result in such a strong pipeline of new developments, located in highly sought-after towns and villages.

“We are a developer with big ambitions for the future and have a clear vision to create high quality homes for buyers across the South East of England. It is very pleasing that the recent growth of the business has enabled us to make an appointment of this calibre.”