One of the largest teams under a megabrand’s umbrella has added to its leadership suite with the appointment of a chief executive officer for residential sales.
Ray White Surfers Paradise will welcome Charles Higgins to the team in June, putting him in charge of the 250-plus strong team.
The news comes on the heels of the departure of the outfit’s head of sales Michael Andrews, who stepped into the role of Ray White Queensland chief operating officer in March.
Ray White Surfers Paradise has been in operation since 1973, with Andrew Bell and his brother Greg Bell owning and running the business for the past 30 years.
With this new appointment, Andrew Bell, who currently serves as chief executive of all of the company’s divisions, will shift his attention to their commercial operations as well as project management, property management and other franchise offices.
Prior to this appointment, Mr Higgins has been leading a multi-office team for McGrath in Brisbane while raising his profile as an experienced auctioneer. With more than 11 years of experience calling auctions, he’s a strong advocate for that method of sale.
Andrew Bell noted that Mr Higgins’ appointment came at a time when the business, which serves the greater Gold Coast area, was looking to further increase its presence in the region.
“Charles is a proven operator and his skill level will enable us to keep growing into the future and he will add a great depth to the management team. His appointment demonstrates our commitment to market leadership in what is undoubtedly one of the most important real estate markets in the country,” Mr Bell said.
“We are delighted that Charles has chosen to join us and we look forward to welcoming his energy and creativity. He will become a significant partner in the business, ensuring his impact will be enduring over the long-term,” he added.
On his part, Mr Higgins said he was “very excited by the opportunity I have been given to lead such an iconic business with so many years of success upon which to build, and with so many fantastic people to work alongside”.
“I’m proud to join Andrew and his constituents,” he added.
Jason Andrew, CEO of Ray White Queensland, remarked on the importance of the appointment, noting that Ray White Surfers Paradise had been instrumental to the entire network’s success, both in Queensland and across Australia.
“It is an enduring business, and this appointment expresses that perfectly,” Mr Andrew said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Juliet Helmke
Based in Sydney, Juliet Helmke has a broad range of reporting and editorial experience across the areas of business, technology, entertainment and the arts. She was formerly Senior Editor at The New York Observer.