Spicerhaart appoints new estate agency director

Spicerhaart has promoted an internal candidate to the role of M1 estate agency director.

Boyd Kelly was previously the company’s area partner for Northampton, but will now head up operations in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire.

He will be tasked with managing division performance, recruiting into his team, developing their talent and supporting managers.

Boyd, 32, said: “We created a fantastic team and produced brilliant results in Northampton, and I am ready to recreate that on a bigger scale.

“My priorities are creating winning teams in all locations and growing our market share across the region.”

Boyd has been in property since he was a teenager after being encouraged to interview for his first job by his mother purely for experience but ended up being offered the job by a director before he had even got home.

Spicerhaart MD, Daniel Ansell, commented: “Boyd was the natural choice for this role, and I am so happy we could promote from within.

“His attitude and competitiveness shone through and I am sure he will continue to be a huge asset to Spicerhaart, helping support our managers to grow their businesses and boost their performance.

“Boyd is soon to be a father for the first time, and I am delighted to offer him this opportunity at such an exciting time in his life.”

Former Purplebricks national sales director joins market disrupter

The former UK national sales director of Purplebricks, Paul Vickerstaff, has joined Heatable.co.uk.

Vickerstaff, who was with Purplebricks for four years until March 2019, leaving only to join another associated online brand Homeday, later worked for Spicerhaart as managing director.

Before Purplebricks, he was sales director for almost 17 years at Burchell Edwards, the midlands estate agency previously owned by Michael and Kenny Bruce, before they founded Purplebricks, and where Vickerstaff started his estate agency career as a junior negotiator.

Closely associated with the Bruce brothers, Vickerstaff joined Purplebricks when it launched, becoming synonymous with the brand, its ambitions and growth – and, inevitably, its ‘commisery’ advertising aimed at weaning consumers off high street agents.

Vickerstaff said: “This was an opportunity that I simply couldn’t turn down.”

“I will draw upon my past experiences to support the businesses aggressive growth plans,” he added.

Dame Alison Nimmo DBE appointed to DLUHC’s departmental board 

Dame Alison Nimmo DBE has been appointed to DLUHC’s departmental board as lead non-executive director (NED).