Andrew Froude, former chairman of Jackson-Stops & Staff, has died aged 78.

He joined the company as a newly qualified chartered surveyor in 1963 and became chairman in 1992. He was responsible for the restructuring of the respected up-market business to its current format.

After taking over as chairman, he successfully expanded Jackson-Stops & Staff from a 14-strong office practice to 42 offices, all operated on a licensee basis.

Froude was instrumental in the decision to back Agents’Mutual, saying: “There is a clear need to create a new competitor in the portals market which is owned and controlled by agents.”

Froude stood down as chairman in July 2013 and was succeeded by Nick Leeming, who had been business development director with Zoopla.

Froude leaves a widow, Pat, and two sons and their families.

There is to be a service of thanksgiving this month.

We are also sorry to report the death of Louis Armstrong, former head of the RICS.

He became chief executive in 1998, holding the post for 12 years, and was credited with internationalising the body. By the time he stood down in 2010, the RICS operated in 140 countries.

Armstrong transformed the RICS by growing membership from about 90,000 to 150,000 and creating new codes governing ethics, education and professional standards.

His real name was not Louis, but John. However, at naval college in Dartmouth in the sixties, he played the trumpet and from then on was universally known as Louis.

Armstrong read law at Magdalen College, Oxford, and then served in the navy, rising to become Rear-Admiral.

He died on New Year’s Eve aged 68.