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The national real estate group has revealed the leader set to take its house of brands through its next phase of growth.
Christine Mikhael will be elevated to the role of chief executive officer and take on a position as a member of the board, following a six-month stint as acting CEO while maintaining her existing chief performance officer (CPO) duties during that time.
Ms Mikhael will take charge of the complete house of brands under the LJ Hooker Group umbrella: LJ Hooker, Atlas by LJ Hooker, and Harveys.
Speaking of her appointment, LJ Hooker Group chairman L Janusz Hooker said Ms Mikhael had proven to be “an outstanding leader in her role as CPO and as an advisor to the board”.
He sees her latest appointment as a “natural step” that comes at an exciting time for the group.
“Christine’s appointment signals the start of the LJ Hooker Group’s next phase of growth as it approaches its 2028 century of pioneering real estate in Australia and New Zealand,” Mr Hooker shared.
He went on to indicate that “Christine and her executive leadership team have a clear remit to grow the business by focusing on performance and growth and value delivery”.
That executive leadership team comprises chief operating officer Ruth Trewhella, chief financial officer Simon Heathcote and Graeme Hyde as network chief New Zealand.
Ms Mikhael herself has shared that she feels “fortunate to be given the opportunity with my team to write the next chapter for LJ Hooker and lead it into its centenary”.
From her perspective, “LJ Hooker has proven itself to be one of the most resilient and successful real estate groups anywhere in the world”.
“From establishing Australia’s first Real Estate Investment Trust (A-REIT) to being its largest landholder and developer, LJ Hooker’s contributions to the development of the industry and country are significant.
“LJ Hooker was also responsible for bringing franchising to Australia and was its first national real estate network; it has navigated countless real estate cycles and for generations been the brand people turn to and trust,” she said.
Ms Mikhael has also emphasised the laser focus on growth through franchising and supporting the group’s offices across Australia and New Zealand she will bring to the helm: “We will invest in our brands, training and integrating the best in technology to ensure that our offering is second to none and that we serve our clients — our people — and our consumers — sellers, buyers, landlords and tenants — with excellence.”
Mr Hooker has noted that “the board has been impressed with Christine’s success and leadership since she joined the business in 2018”.
According to the chairman, “her knowledge of what it takes to run a real estate agency, having had her own highly successful agency for over 15 years, provides an intricate understanding of what impacts our offices and our people on the ground and the drivers to make tangible differences”.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Grace Ormsby
Grace is a journalist across Momentum property and investment brands. Grace joined Momentum Media in 2018, bringing with her a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) from the University of Newcastle. She’s passionate about delivering easy to digest information and content relevant to her key audiences and stakeholders.
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