Connells Group CEO, David Livesey, one of the property industry’s most influential figures, celebrates his 30^th anniversary with the business this month.

His career with Connells Group began when he joined as the group’s first dedicated Mortgage Services Director and since then has been responsible for creating and developing some of the most successful parts of the business.

He has played a pivotal role in many of the business’ significant acquisitions and in all aspects of growing and diversifying Connells Group’s income stream, from pure estate agency and lettings through to mortgages, surveys, valuations, conveyancing, asset management.

Livesey has taken the lead in Connells Group’s digital proposition, including forming and steering the business’ partnership with Zoopla, driving developments with LMS and TM Group, and promoting efforts that reduce transaction times for customers, such as the creation of sales progression tool MIO.

David Livesey was also part of the team that completed the ‘management buy-out’ of Connells from Scottish Widows, assisted by Skipton Building Society who took a majority shareholding and was largely responsible for creating the mortgage services model.

He managed the development of Connells Survey & Valuation from a small surveying operation to become one of the leading surveying companies in the UK and, when Connells Group acquired Sequence in 2003, he took over as Chief Executive, turning around the then loss making company into the very successful operation it is today.

In 2008, he was appointed Connells Group Chief Executive.

Reflecting on his career, Livesey says:

“Within a few days of joining Connells Group I knew that I had found the permanent home for my career, and it has been challenging, fulfilling and fun in equal measure.

“There aren’t many businesses nowadays where so many of the team have worked together for so long which tells you everything about this company.

“We have the best people in the industry at Connells Group and I am most proud of the careers that we have helped create over the years, the great customer service that those colleagues have delivered and, as a result, the absolute, unchallenged, clear market leadership in our profession that we have achieved.”

Connells Group Chairman Stephen Shipperley, paid tribute to Livesey, saying:

“David’s great leadership and passion for Connells Group has shone through over the years and we are very fortunate to have him.

“The strength of our business demonstrates David’s ability to assemble and retain the best people in the profession.

“He has a great instinct for innovating and initiating some of the things that we take for granted in the business, and indeed the property industry.

“We congratulate David on his milestone anniversary and thank him for his continued commitment.”