Duo join First In The Door advisory board

Property advisor platform, First In The Door, has announced the appointment of two highly experienced professionals to its advisory board as it continues its mission to build a trusted platform of expert buying agents.

Johnny Turnbull brings a wealth of industry knowledge in the London and prime regional property markets, spanning 37 years. Formerly a director at Savills, he was part of a pioneering group of early industry adopters who launched the Savills’ buying agency, Prime Purchase in 2002 – an industry which has since grown in size and is now a national and international market opportunity.

For the last 18 years, Turnbull has been the managing director of his own buying agency business, Turnbull Property, advising HNW and UHNW buyers in central London. As Board Advisor, Johnny’s expertise will be key in helping First In The Door refine its strategic direction and elevate its market offering.

Meanwhile, John De Pree has 25 years’ experience of generating growth in online marketplaces, including PropTech, fintech, healthtech, ride-hailing and sports betting.

He previously served as chief marketing officer at GetAgent, marketing director at the black cab app Gett, head of marketing at Tesco Bank’s payment app and in multiple marketing leadership roles at Betfair. His appointment to the advisory board is designed to help First In The Door strengthen its brand and enhance its marketing capabilities.

The appointments of Turnbull and De Pree come at a pivotal time for First In The Door as they build on their successful UK launch in November 2023 and gear up for an international roll out.

Turnbull commented: “I look forward to working with the team to unlock new opportunities and expand their reach.”

De Pree added: “First In The Door is positioned for exciting growth, and I’m honoured to bring my marketing expertise to the table. I’m looking forward to helping the company expand its brand presence and build stronger connections with its audience.”

First In The Door’s founder, Claire Whisker, added: “Having Johnny and John join our advisory board is a tremendous credit to First In The Door. With these strategic additions, First In The Door is well-positioned to deliver further value to our members and consumers as we continue to grow and innovate. Their appointments are a reflection of our commitment to attracting top talent and ensuring that we continue to lead the way in our industry.”

Rajeev Nayyar stepping down as MD of Aareon

Aareon, the provider of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for the property industry and owner of Aareon UK, Arthur Online and Fixflo, has announced that Rajeev Nayyar, who co-founded Fixflo and more recently led Aareon’s businesses in the UK, will be stepping down later in the year. Rachael Baig has been appointed managing director of all their UK operations.

With over 18 years’ experience in the technology sector, Baig has deep expertise in growing and transforming businesses with a particular focus on business-to-business SaaS companies.

Most recently, Baig served as chief strategy officer at Board International, a private equity-backed software business focused on enterprise planning and performance. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in the executive team, driving a period of growth across multiple geographies.

Harry Thomsen, CEO of Aareon Group commented: “We sincerely thank Raj for his leadership and efforts in bringing together all our UK businesses to operate as one as well as laying solid foundations for future growth and innovation. As we move forward, we’re excited to be working with Rachael in leading Aareon through its next stage of development in the UK market.”

Nayyar added: “It’s been an amazing journey from a startup in a basement to working as part of the management of Europe’s SaaS PropTech champion. I’m grateful to all the amazing colleagues, clients, partners and friends across my many years in the sector and am confident in the next phase in Aareon’s growth in the UK under Rachael’s leadership.”

BDB Pitmans strengthens private real estate team with partner appointment

Law firm BDB Pitmans has strengthened its private real estate team with the appointment of Claire Hastie as a partner in its residential property team.

Hastie, who will be based in the firm’s Reading office, brings to BDB Pitmans expertise in residential property transactions, leasehold enfranchisement, new build plot sales, property investment, transfers of equity, equity release and shared ownership sales and staircasing.

The BDB Pitmans 25-strong private real estate team operates across the firm’s offices in London, Cambridge, Reading and Southampton. Its clients include individuals buying and selling property, landed and agricultural estates, property investors, offshore entities, banks and developers. They turn to the firm for advice and guidance on property, planning and tax.

Hastie said: “BDB Pitmans is an ambitious firm and a varied and enviable client base. I am thrilled to be joining the firm at this exciting moment in the firm’s growth journey and look forward to contributing to that.”

Hema Anand, partner and head of the private real estate team at BDB Pitmans, commented: “Claire is a first-class property lawyer with a terrific reputation across the South East. We are delighted by her decision to join the firm. She will be a terrific asset to the firm and our growing client base.”

Comings & Goings