The Countrywide director who only last week spoke about the UK’s largest estate agent’s plans for the future is leaving.
The departure throws into question exactly what Countrywide is planning in terms of an online agency offering.
Chief digital officer Alex Bailes, a major speaker at the Proptech conference just days ago, is confirmed to be quitting.
His departure is one of several as Countrywide continues its restructure and brings in new names.
CEO Alison Platt has earlier told EYE of plans for a new online estate agency, whether by launch or acquisition. Last Wednesday, Bailes said the future for estate agency lay in hybrid models.
Samantha Tyrer, managing director for retail at Countrywide, yesterday said: “Chief digital officer Alex Bailes is stepping down at Countrywide to pursue other opportunities and will be leaving the company at the beginning of January 2016.
“We would like to thank Alex for his commitment and support to Countrywide and wish him well for the future.”
Knowing Countrywide as well as I do, the animal will probably use its high street clout to create a web portal business to compete with the likes Russell Quirks & Co before they see it is too late. The company is founded on profit and will be number crunching how low they can go with fee’s with little regard for staff and the industry as a whole. Historically they are expensive, but they can maintain the profit with the reduced overheads the web has to offer and of course RM & Z are perfect bed partners.
If your not worried, you should be.
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The word is that they are already well advanced with the online option.
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