Hannah Cooper promoted to chief people officer at LRG
LRG has promoted Hannah Cooper from Group HR Director to Chief People Officer. She will continue to oversee the company’s people strategy as the business operates across sales, lettings, property management and living markets.
Cooper joined Leaders in 2013 as an HR adviser and later became head of HR operations, overseeing HR functions for more than 3,000 employees. As Group HR Director, she has led work covering recruitment, employee development and employment compliance across the company’s network.
She also helped establish EmpowerHER, an internal programme aimed at supporting women across the business. The initiative includes mentoring, networking events, resources and training opportunities.
In her new role, Cooper will lead the group’s people function, covering workforce planning, skills development, employee engagement and organisational structure as the company continues to expand.
Michael Cook, Chief Executive Officer of LRG, said: “During the last few years Hannah has overseen staff retention rates improve to our best ever recorded levels, reflecting the quality of our recruitment and ongoing staff engagement, which make LRG a place people thrive and choose to stay not just for a job, but for a career.
“Hannah’s promotion reflects the impact she has already been making across the Group. LRG is built on the quality of our people – how we recruit, develop and support colleagues and how we create a culture that helps teams do their best work. Appointing a chief people officer recognises that this is not a support function on the side. It is central to how we run the business and how we serve customers.”
Cooper’s promotion comes just das after LRG announced promotion of four key members of staff to director-level positions.
Donna Wright, who has been with the group for 36 years, takes on the role of director of Customer Support and Engagement, having worked her way from branch manager through compliance and quality.
Wendy De Swart – approaching 32 years at LRG – steps up from head of Process and Implementation to director of Lettings Implementation.
Genna Handford, who joined the business in 2018, steps up from head of lettings support centre to director of lettings support centres.
And Justine Edmonds, who was instrumental in establishing LRG Living Markets, moves from head of Build to Rent to director of Build to Rent.
Barratt Redrow has announced that its group chief executive, David Thomas, will retire, with Dean Banks named as his successor.
Thomas joined the housebuilder 17 years ago and has served as chief executive for the past 11 years, overseeing the company’s recent merger with Redrow.
Banks, previously chief executive of Balfour Beatty UK Construction Services, is expected to join Barratt Redrow in the final quarter of this year.
Banks commented: “Barratt Redrow is an exceptional UK homebuilder, leading the industry in quality, service and sustainability, with a strong platform for the future underpinned by a clear strategy and outstanding people.
“I look forward to working with the Board and the wider team to build on this strong foundation and deliver long term value for customers, shareholders and communities.”
Caroline Silver, group chair, added: “He [Banks] brings strong experience as a public company Chief Executive, with deep knowledge of the construction and infrastructure sectors and a proven track record of value creation.
“We are confident that Dean’s focus on disciplined execution, operational excellence and strong relationships with customers and stakeholders will help Barratt Redrow build on its strengths over the long term.
“I would also like to thank David Thomas for his outstanding leadership and dedication to Barratt Redrow over many years. He will leave behind an industry-leading business with a clear strategy, a strong balance sheet and an exceptional team. On behalf of the Board, I want to express our sincere appreciation for his stewardship and significant contribution, and to wish David a very happy and well-earned retirement.”
ASAP appoints Katy Billany as sales director
ASAP has appointed Katy Billany as sales director.
In the role, Billany will oversee the company’s sales, account management and client services teams.
She has more than 18 years’ experience in the property sector, including work in commercial strategy, market analysis and technology services for estate agents and property professionals.
Billany joins from TwentyEA, where she most recently served as executive director, responsible for the company’s estate agency data and technology services and its conveyancing intelligence platform, TwentyConvey.
Richard Megson, managing director at ASAP, said: “Katy brings a wealth of knowledge and commercial expertise from across the property sector, along with a deep understanding of the challenges facing estate agents and other property professionals today.
“Her experience, leadership and industry insight make her an excellent addition to the ASAP team. As our business continues to grow, Katy will play an important role in supporting our clients and strengthening the services we provide.”
Billany added: “Having spent much of my career working across the property industry, I’ve seen first-hand how challenging it can be to keep transactions moving smoothly. At the moment, the average sale can take more than four months to progress from offer agreed to completion, and around a quarter of agreed sales still fall through. That’s why effective sales progression has become such an important part of the process.
“What really appealed to me about ASAP is the reputation the team has built for supporting agents through what is often the most complex stage of a transaction. I’m excited to join a business that is so focused on helping property professionals navigate those challenges and ultimately get more deals over the line.”