Knight Frank appoints new lettings head in Marylebone office
Knight Frank’s Marylebone residential office has welcomed Luke Hewens to the team as head of lettings.
Hewens began his property career as lettings negotiator in 2015 at John D Wood & Co., climbing the ranks to Lettings Manager. Luke then moved to Hastings International, before joining Knight Frank as Associate Manager in the Kensington office in February 2022.
In his new role, Hewens will run Knight Frank’s lettings office in Marylebone. He will be tasked with leading the team of negotiators to build the firm’s market share in the area, utilising his experience in private wealth management, HNWI relocation, and extensive knowledge of the prime central London lettings market.
Hewens commented: “I am very excited about joining the Marylebone office as lettings department head and leading a talented team of high-performing negotiators with a wealth of experience in the local market. My main focus will be building on the office’s already strong roots in the prime and super-prime sectors, continuing to cultivate our market leading client care and driving a holistic approach to Knight Frank’s services across the company.”
David Mumby, head of prime central London lettings at Knight Frank, commented, “Luke’s enthusiasm, professionalism and excellent client care have made him a huge asset to the Kensington team, so we are delighted that this internal appointment means he is now taking on the management of the Marylebone lettings office As one of the most strategically important offices in the PCL region, Luke and the team will be working alongside some of the capital’s most significant estates and private clients. His experience and knowledge of the Knight Frank network will ensure he can hit the ground running in the Marylebone market in November.”
London Central Portfolio expands into new build sector with appointment of ex-Colliers director
Buying and investment agency, London Central Portfolio (LCP), has expanded its services into the residential development sector and appointed industry heavyweight Kevin Coughter to head it all up.
Joining LCP as head of private clients, Coughter brings almost 30 years’ industry experience to the team. Previously an associate director of new build sales at Colliers for the last six years, he was responsible for selling London’s best off-plan homes to HNW international buyers.
Working closely with global UHNW’s including private and family offices, Coughter’s new role at LCP involves identifying and capitalising on opportunities in the residential new build sector for buy-to-let investors and those sourcing a primary or secondary residence in London.
Coughter commented: “Their [LCP’s] offering is far more all-encompassing than any other buying agent so when the opportunity arose to join the team it was an easy decision to make. The private office outlook that the company adopt was another factor in my decision.
“New build homes are attractive to many markets as they are brand new, with better energy efficiency, requiring little maintenance and with excellent amenities and security. It’s not just the overseas market seeking these properties. Domestic buyers, including Next Gen, also see their appeal, especially from a lifestyle perspective.”
Liam Monaghan, MD at LCP, added: “His [Coughter’s] extensive experience in new build apartments for international HNWI’s looking for London property aligns itself well with our commitment to being best in class. We see this as the right time to expand our offering to provide buyers worldwide access to the best new build developments across London.”
Barratt Southern Counties hires new head of sales and marketing
Guildford-based housebuilder Barratt Southern Counties has appointed a new head of sales and marketing, who has taken over responsibility for sites across the Home Counties including Berkshire, Surrey and Sussex. Alex Dowling has returned to the division, where he began his career as a sales consultant more than 15 years ago.
He will be responsible for leading the sales function and implementing marketing strategies across the division. Alongside this, Dowling will oversee pilot schemes aimed at boosting first time buyer homeownership, with the newly-launched Rent then Buy programme available across selected developments.
“It is a difficult market at the moment, and I would say the first truly challenging market I have experienced in the industry, given the changes over the last 18 months in particular,” said Dowling. “Yet this isn’t a time to shy away, and there is a unique opportunity here to spearhead homeownership for first time buyers through our pilot Rent then Buy scheme. I’m passionate about helping buyers on every rung of the ladder to achieve their homebuying goals.”
Dowling has more than 20 years’ experience in the new homes industry, initially beginning his career as a sales consultant in London before securing his first role at Barratt Southern Counties. After five years’ as a sales consultant for the division, Dowling progressed to a project sales manager, followed by part exchange manager and then head of customer service.
Dowling commented: “The property market is never straightforward, and whilst it is undeniably a challenging time, I am confident that we are a resilient division. Our land team is strategic in its investments, and as a result we have a number of new developments recently launched or due to launch over the next 12 months that are in desirable patches across Berkshire, Surrey and Sussex. Cost-of-living remains top of the agenda for buyers, who are more conscious than ever before on factors such as sustainability, energy efficiency and connectivity.”
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