Countrywide’s finance director joins OpenBrix

OpenBrix has appointed Adrienne Clarke of Countrywide as its new chief finance officer.

Clarke, who most recently worked as group finance director at Countrywide, held a number of senior roles during her 24 years at the company.

She will now will now lead all financial matters at OpenBrix, reporting into chief executive officer, Adam Pigott, adding to the existing team already in place. The move also comes ahead of the compamny’s upcoming product launches.

Clarke said: We have some incredibly exciting months ahead with some key product launches, it’s great to be part of the journey and working with a forward-thinking organisation and a fantastic team of individuals.

Talking about the new hire, Pigott added: “It’s fantastic news to have another big hitter join the OpenBrix family, helping to guide the business, our partnerships, and overall performance as we continue to grow.”

Connells welcomes Land & New Homes MD, Jason Willetts

Connells has announced the appointment of Jason Willetts as Connells Land & New Homes managing director.

Willetts’ experience in property spans 36 years, 25 of which has been in land and new homes specifically. He joins from Arun Estates, where he spent 17 years, most recently as the MD of Land & New Homes, Shared Ownership and Corporate Sales.

Working alongside Connells extensive Land & New Homes network, his objectives are to build on existing business and grow the land team.

Willetts said: “Everyone knows that Connells has a fantastic reputation, and in particular its Land & New Homes business which is incredibly forward thinking and innovative.”

“Working in Land & New Homes, every day is different. However, the one thing that remains the same is deepening relationships with clients and enhancing the customer journey, and everything we do will be focused on those two fundamental things, he added.

Roger Barrett, MD of Connells Group Land & New Homes, commented: “Jason’s wealth of expertise in the property industry, and specifically in land and new homes, is unrivalled and thus is a fantastic appointment for us. We have enjoyed welcoming him into our business and we look forward to seeing his goals and ideas being implemented over the next few months and into the New Year.”

Dacre, Son & Hartley promotes Laura Nicholas 

Dacre, Son & Hartley has promoted Laura Nicholas to head of its customer services centre.

Nicholas joined Dacres in 2015 as a customer services representative and is also a qualified mortgage advisor, which further enhances her understanding of the property market.

In her new role, Nicholas will lead the customer services team who work with clients at all stages of their property journey. She will also provide internal training across the firm’s 21 offices, throughout West and North Yorkshire.

She said: “Few estate agents have a dedicated customer services centre, but it’s vital to always be on hand for clients at what can be a stressful time. As a team we pride ourselves on being there to offer all types of help and advice to keep their sale or purchase on track and running smoothly. We’re also there to support our colleagues across our 21 offices, which ultimately makes their lives easier and helps them deliver the best results for clients.

“I’m really pleased to receive this promotion and look forward to continuing to build on the high standards of service that Dacres is renowned for.”

Patrick McCutcheon, head of residential at Dacre, Son & Hartley, added: “Laura always goes above and beyond to make sure that we are in constant contact with buyers and sellers, which ensures that they enjoy a positive experience with Dacres.

“Her ability to look at all our operations from the perspective of the client and put herself in their position is inspiring. It’s also a key reason why we are continually named as a top performing estate agent by leading review sites including Feefo, which awarded us the Platinum Trusted Service Award in recognition of us continually delivering exceptional customer experiences.”